Thanksgiving

First we went to my sister in law's house:

Then the power went out, so we went to my uncle's house:

This is most of the part of my family who lives in Oregon. We also have a branch in Colorado.

I started and finished a hat for Kandyce, and started some gloves for her.

O! M! G!

I was reading my blogs. I read Mini. Go to this page and scroll down to the information about the sock knitter. I suggest we (The Knitters) in a way similar to yarnharlot, take over the comment box!

GO!

FINISHED SOMETHING ELSE!!!

According to Ravelry, I started this 4 days ago. It would have taken me ten minutes to finish, but I had to wait for delivery of my Sensor to finish it. LOVE IT!!! Now to get to running. I will start that on Wednesday.


Another new project...

However, it is a quick thing. However, it could take me two weeks to finish it, rather than the 20 minutes it should take.
I am starting c25k again next week. I bought a Nike + iPod Sport Kit - USA thing for my iPod from eBay. I found a pattern for a cozy for the sensor. Ravelry link. When I get the thing in the mail, I will finish it off.

Trying...

I am not here quite daily this month, huh?

That is okay. It is not guilt. I have done better this month (I think) than the last two or three years COMBINED!

OTN:
Doll for Christmas;
Corset Silk Tank Top;
Silky Negligee

The doll was supposed to be for birthday in August;
Corset Silk Tank Top - freshly started a few days ago - needs full concentration and for me. Therefore, probably won't get done!;
Silky Negligee - for a birthday YEARS ago. Maybe for a birthday next year.

LOOK! I FINISHED SOMETHING!!!

BTW...

I am on http://www.facebook.com/jenknitter, http://twitter.com/jenknitter and http://www.ravelry.com/people/jenknitter.

Oh Kandyce!

Little to no knitting content, today.

I had such a good morning today!

Backstory: when Kandyce was 18 months, she had no words. The pediatrician recommended we see a speech therapist. We have been seeing her for about six months. She is lovely. However, I don't think she is doing anything for her. Kandyce is fine. She has always been fine. She didn't choose to talk. She had every other milestone knocked out of the park. I wasn't worried. She talks now. It is mostly not english, but more and more everyday. She sepaks in sentences of mostly not english. I am okay with this. However, everytime Sara came to the house, Kandyce would keep her big mouth shut. She would talk in single words once in awhile.

TODAY HOWEVER! She spoke to her just like she speaks to us! I was so excited and proud. She finally got to see what I see everyday!

Such a good morning!!!



Can't you see how much she has to say:

NaBloPoMo

So, I have wanted to restart this for sometime. I even tried with the WordPress thing. I think, given that it is NaBloPoMo, I will try again, now.

Also, since I am currently attending school, it is a good idea to get something else to distract me from reading the chapter I am currently supposed to be reading!

So, as I said, I am in school. I am trying to get an associates in computers. I would like to be a Geek Squad when I grow up. I have been trying for a few terms, now, and honestly it isn't going very well. I have too much on my plate to spend enough time on my school work.

On my plate:

• Yesterday I had a meeting at the middle school to help them get the website up and running.
• I also had a meeting at the elementary school to help get the parking lot safer. We need to paint a crosswalk, and repaint some no-parking signs. This takes more work than you would think. I met with someone from the district yesterday to start the process. Truthfully, I think this year is too much to hope for.
• Last Wednesday I had a meeting at the high school. Hopefully, we can get a yearbook there this year.
• Tonight I have another meeting at the high school for the brand-new Parent Advisory Council.

This doesn't count my taxi duties for three kids at three different schools and a husband, or the simple fact that I have four kids.

I am knitting, but since I am currently at school, I don't have any pictures I can show right now. Let's see:

• Socks for Birthday in 40 days
• doll for birthday last August (maybe Christmas, now)
• something for me!
• more, I am sure, but...

Let's hope I have more everyday this month! I think I like it better than Facebook. I don't have many knitter friends there.

New-ish pic

This picture was taken in Feb. of this year:

Halloween

Halloween pictures (no knitting content)


DeAndre' is Death


Neo from Matrix

Ayanna is a ladybug fairy

Halloween pictures (no knitting content)

Pictures

Well, I can't find my camera. Therefore, I had to use my husband's. I finished some stuff.


Technically not finished. The mug is for scale. Two Christmas purses. I have to sew the handle down.


Scarf Number 1. Shibui yarn.


Bad pic of the hat that goes with the scarf.


An attempt at both at once.

I am going to make three or four of the scarf hat sets. The first one took just under a week. I have one set done, plus the hat and about half of the scarf done for the other.

The purses took two days to knit.

Knitting updates

So, before I got so behind, again, I thought I would post an update.

Projects in progress:

Master Knitters program
Secret project
Christmas hat and scarf sets (4 or 5 for Christmas)
purse Christmas presents (1 or 2)

I really feel like I am missing something, but can't think of it!

Oh! A top down sweater for my brother, a shrug for me, a cardigan for Ayanna, a sweater for Malik.....

Busy at work, so must go eat lunch before I don't get one. More later, I promise!

FINALLY

So between my former crazy job, and my Catholic guilt, I couldn't get past the fact that it has been waaay too long since I posted. Then I read this and I felt a little better.

I have been knitting - Lots. I am on Ravelry. I left my last boss from HELL and got a new job at my LYS, where I have been going to knit night for over a year.

Hopefully, now, I can be a better blogger, again.

Here are some kid pics taken this weekend to make it better:

Ayanna wishing we didn't have to go to football games.

DeAndre' taking his own picture wishing he didn't have to be at his brother's game, even though his game was earlier in the same morning.

Malik at pre-game practice. This turns out to be the only playing time he gets!! He was not very happy about that!

So busy

Let me try to catch up.

Malik went to Outdoor School for a week. He had fun. He didn't take any *good* pictures.

Malik turned 12. We had a party.

I finished both of my secret knitting.

Malik was in a parade. They won first place.

This is the band being judged.

This is the band teacher with the ribbon.

That is all for now.

Falling down on the blogging job

So, I composed two posts but never actually posted either of them. I felt I wasn't finished with them, but then I never found the time to actually complete them. So, here they both are:

SHOP HOP REPORT
Chrissy and Katrina were two of the people who put on the 2007 Tigard Knitting Guild Shop Hop. We got to the school where we all met to get on the bus. When we got there, we received our Lantern Moon bags with PLENTY of loot in there. So much that the organizers suggested we put them in our cars because they were heavy. In the bags was an Interlacements Scarf Kit, a mini skein of Panda Wool some miscellaneous yarn samples from KPixie; candy and some yarn from The Sweet Sheep. We got a pattern book from Dale, and lots of coupons and samples. Heck, I can’t remember it all, use a combination of my pictures and Amanda’s post. She covered it all very well. Also check the Shop Hop Blog for the mother load of information and pictures.







At the first store, All About Yarn, I got a book I had wanted for a long time, a pattern that Halle Berry wore in A Perfect Stranger. It looks cozy! And a thing to put on my finger to control more than one strand of yarn at a time.

At The Knitting Bee, I got a pattern from Fiber Trends for a dress for Ayanna and got some Red Encore to make it. I also got a mini Kacha counter.

At Knit/Purl I got some roving, a spindle and a couple of patterns.

I also decided to help Darcy (the owner) wrap purchases. This is my store. I am there every week for knit night, and I like these people. I got some good-natured ribbing, but it was okay.

I found a second favorite store. I really like Dublin Bay, and their knit night is Tuesday. When I can’t make it to Knit Purl due to a conflict, I used to go to another store on Tuesdays, but next time I have a conflict, I will try Dublin Bay. Here I decided to fix a problem. I had been working on another project before this, but there was some kind of problem, I don’t know if it was cause I wrote the pattern down wrong, or if I made an error, or what, but I was stuck and needed a project quick. I walked into Dublin Bay and found a project in a bag. It included the yarn, the pattern and the needles, along with some buttons. I am now, therefore, making a purse for Ayanna. I am going to give the rest of it to DeAndre’ to make himself a little wallet. The wooden needles are kind of short, and are wooden size 8. They are very sticky. DeAndre’ didn’t have his own needles before this, so now he does. I also got some buttons for the project for Ayanna that I started but had to abandon on the bus.

At Lint, I hung out in the discount book section, and got 6 books/pamphlets for less than $30!

At the final store, Molehill Farm (I can’t find a link), I bought nothing. They have a tub in the back (no, really, a tub). This store used to be a house, and in the back is a bathroom. In the tub, they put the sale yarns. I had heard tell of the tub, but I never got to see it before.

Finally, while were on the bus in between stops, they had give-aways. Everyone got one. This is what I got. It was donated by Jimmy Beans Wool. That is ten balls of

Then they asked if anyone's button had a star sticker on the back - mine did, and I won this.

I can't wait until I get to go again!!

The other post (originally written April 13!)

Natalie updated the 2007 Knitalongs list. I found and joined the For Me?! knit along. I will join the Coffee Swap on Monday (I joined, and have a pal!)

The Shelburne Inn

DON'T EVER STAY AT The Shelburne Inn!!!!

It is in South West Washington on the coast.

We had reservations for tomorrow night. For some reason they wrote March 31 instead of April 14. That is my fault, not his. This guy has clearly NEVER heard of customer service! He would be willing to let us stay there if we stayed for two nights. Of course, we would have to pay for the second night! This means that on Friday night at 6:00 pm we would have to drive 2 1/2 hours after packing up and dropping off the children.

I just checked the website. They have 8 rooms available - OUT OF 15!!! Are you kidding me!!! We can't have ONE NIGHT!!! I already had to jump through about a thousand hoops to get the room anyway!!!

Finishing

So, I finished two things yesterday! The secret project was turned in yesterday afternoon, and then I finished the socks at knit night last night (pictures to follow tomorrow or so).

I have cast on for secret project #2. It is a mostly stockinette stitch 6 month old size sweater, so I should be able to whip it out pretty quick. Then, maybe I can work on some other stuff!

I have two baby stories to share! The first one is Ayanna now wants you to read to her. She will pick up a book, and walk backwards into your lap so you can read her the book! It is so cute. Of course, she only lasts about a page or less per book, so there is quite the pile of books sitting next to you when she is done!

Second, Ayanna is not allowed to play with the phone. She knows this! She also knows this is my rule, and Daddy doesn't so much care. I was doing laundry the other day and I heard the beep, beep of someone punching buttons on the phone. I yelled "AYANNA ROSE BROWN" and started for the living room to get the phone from her. When I walked into the living room, she was in between her daddy's legs and the phone was on the couch and she had this "who me?" look on her face. Apparently, when she heard me call out her name, she ran to her daddy and pitched the phone to the other side of him.

NICE!

Gift Received!

I got a present from my Secret Pal yesterday!


Two skeins of Shadow in Grape Jelly


I got the new Casts Off. YEAH!!!


Stitch markers from zephyr style. The third one from the left says "Yarn Ho and proud of it" Ain't it the truth, Ain't it the truth.

I was soo excited about the book from Harlot that I started to read it right then. Then I remembered that I wanted to make sure that for all the trips this month, I have a book or two. This is a book, huh? I guess I should put it down, now, huh?

Thank you, Secret Pal!

I forgot to mention in my last post that I signed up for TKGA Masters Program a couple of weeks ago. I have to make 16 swatches, a hat and do some essays. This is level 1 of 3. I finished about half a swatch.

That is all for now.

Let's see..

what have I been up to?



I have been working on a deadline secret project, so no pictures there. I got assigned another secret project, so no pictures there - this one is from a new company, so I am now working for two knitting companies. I got an email offer (mass mailing list, thing, not to me, personally), and I had to MAKE myself press delete. Too many deadline work projects does not make a knitter-for-enjoyment girl happy.



Other projects are pretty much a pair of socks that I am making for a now-former co-worker. I wanted them to be done before I left, but I thought yesterday (Friday, the 30th) would be my last day, and I have two deadline projects to do. I gave her one sock on what ended up being my last day, and the promptly took it back, so I could compare it with the second sock.








We have a wedding reception to go to tonight, so I will bring these and hopefully make some progress.



I also have a scarf to make for ISE4. I bought the stuff, but haven't cast on.






The yarn is ShiBui Merino Alpaca in Mulberry. The pattern is a Basket Lattice Cap from O~wool.



A couple of weeks ago, I got my hair straightened.



Before





After (I wish I had software to delete my face from this picture, so you could just see my hair.)

My friend did it. She is going to school, so as soon as she can, she is going to trim the ends, get some of that bulk out of there, and give me back my acrylic nails. I am SOOOO excited!! (contrary to what I look like in that picture).



This will be a crazy month, but lots of potential knitting time. First, Easter. Then the next weekend, my DH and I get to go out of town all by ourselves for free! I don't usually care for the idea of a B&B, but free is a very good price, and my DH and I REALLY need the time! So, we are driving two hours to go to this B&B. I just called them yesterday and got some good news/bad news. I think it is good news, my DH, when I tell him, will think it is bad news - no TV, which means more knitting time for me, but TV is a BIG DEAL for him, so we will probably bring a 13" and a DVD player. We have a few we haven't watched, yet.

The weekend after that, is a Shop Hop. So we will be driving around town. The thing takes place from 9-5, so although we will be getting on and off the bus, and going in and out of five stores, that is still lots of knitting time.

Then, at the end of the month, we have a(nother) wedding to go to in Waldport, Oregon - about a three hour drive. The boys are going to be the ring bearers. This means we have to be there by 1 on Friday. The wedding is around 2:30. They have to go to the rehearsal, and be early to the church and... Which means lots of down time for me - known to KNITTING TIME for us non-muggles.

The very next day (Sunday), Malik is going to Outdoor School for a week. He will be back on Friday. Saturday the 28th when we will be at the wedding, is Malik's 12th birthday, so we will do his party on May 5.

I believe that is enough for now!