My Life is Officially a Whirlwind

OK! If you aren't sitting down, you better find a seat, and if you are already sitting, you better hold onto the chair............................

Friday HoneyBunny and I received a job offer in Wyoming!! Then TODAY the owner of the business met with us and asked us how soon we could be moved up there! They need us up there NOW! We said, "Ummmmmm, can we have a few weeks to quit our jobs here, sell our house, pack up our entire lives, transfer our children to new schools, and say good-bye to all of our friends and family?" They were reluctant, but said that we were perfect for the job and therefore worth the wait.

Can you believe it!!!!????? My head is spinning and I keep having to take a deep breath in an effort to slow my pounding heart down.

This is an answer to our prayers. As you know HoneyBunny has been working under the threat that any day he is going to have to go on permanent disability because of his back problems and he just can't drive his dump truck anymore. We have racked our brains for months now trying to figure out what in the world we are going to do. He can't do a desk job because he can't sit for extended periods of time, he can't be on his feet for long periods of time, etc. and so we haven't been able to come up with anything. We certainly can't live on my income alone!!! We had owned our own business at one time, but we are in no kind of financial situation to where it would be possible for us to start another one. So we have just been in a state of complete frustration and hopelessness.....Until Friday when this phone call came in.

What is the job offer? Oh ya! Managing a motel. We will live on the premises--so no more house payments, property taxes, power bills, etc., etc. They have a person that comes in during the week so that we can have some time to get away. All we have to do is maintain the property and check the guests in and out, essentially. The head maid takes care of all of the laundry and cleaning of the rooms so we don't do any of that. AND, believe it or not it gets better, there is a small store in the motel that is empty and they thought that it would be perfect for a yarn/souvenir shop! Well, they certainly know how to motivate me!!!

So, we are moving in four weeks. I'll try to keep you posted.

Ta-Da!

I know I was whining quite a bit about this laptop case the other day. But after some serious creative thought I figured out a way to fix my complete screw-up and make it look good. See what I did was:

1. I didn't buy enough yarn. I was trying to make it with what I had and thought it would be enough. I mean, I made the thing 90 sts on size 10 needles wide and knit 250 some rows!!! I knit until all I had was scraps of four 120 yard skeins left! Who knew it was going to shrink THAT SMALL!

2. I didn't watch it while it was "processing" in the washing machine. I threw it in, walked off, and didn't think about it again until it was REALLY too late to rescue it.

3. I didn't start it soon enough to plan the whole project out properly. I knew it wasn't going to take long to make so I procrastinated until I had to do double time to get it done in time.

4. I didn't do a test swatch. BIG SURPRISE THERE! I know, I know. You should always do a test swatch, especially when you are going to felt something so that you can get a good idea of how much the yarn will shrink in each direction of the fabric. I was running late and didn't have time. My projects al(most)ways turn out good in the end anyway--right?

So, after doing everything I possibly could to create a HUGE catastophe out of this ladies laptop case that she was giving to her daughter as a "going away to college" gift...........I did manage to make a really cute latop case.

She is taking the case to another lady to have some fancy beading and embroidery work done on it. It's nothing fancy now, but the other bag she showed me to pattern this one after was really cute with the extra's.

All's well that ends well. However, the next time I start to do something like this again, someone stop me!!!

The Lazy Days of Summer....HA!

I feel really bad about not blogging very often lately, but I have been so busy I feel like I've been in a tornado.

School starts next Monday for the kids so all of the usual preparations have been going on, you know clothes shopping, supply shopping, grocery and snack shopping, shopping shopping, and more shopping. I used to love shopping. It just isn't that much fun anymore. I think it's because I don't like to spend my money on anything that doesn't have something to do with knitting. Yes, that is very selfish of me, but knitting is an awfully high priority.

In addition to the school whirlwind, my birthday was a couple of weeks ago. We spent the end of the week and the weekend running around the countryside fishing and hiking. It was a lot of fun! but left me with four days of housework and projects to get caught up on....I'm still not caught up!

Besides all of the shopping fun I've been having, I have a lap top case that was really supposed to be done last week, but still isn't! It's actually my fault for not doing a test felt sample. I just HATE making samples. It is such a waste of time and yarn! However, now I have to figure out how to take this "bag" that measures 18 inches long (from opening to bottom) and only 10 inches wide and make it stretch or something so that it is 16 inches wide. It shrunk WAY too much in width and about right in length. I am so mad at the whole project that I would just cut it to pieces if it was something for me, but it is for a customer so I better not loose my cool yet. So I have to figure out what I am going to do to fix the (blank) thing and still have it look good AND have it done by this weekend. I HATE cursed projects. I will post a picture of the whole mess soon so you can weep, wail, and gnash your teeth with me. (I am at work right now so no pictures. Sorry). I think this is why I stay away from felted projects. To many variables and you never know whether all of that work is going to turn out right or not until after all of the PERMANENT changes are accomplished (ie. it comes out of the washing machine).

I am very happy to report that the LOVELY little jacket I mentioned in my last post is almost done!! I have the little sleeves to make and then sew it together. I hate the sewing part, but I really want the little jacket! If you haven't started yours yet NOW is the time! A more perfect late summer, early fall sweater does not exist. See the last posts for links to the pattern.

As soon as school starts I anticipate having a little more time. Hopefully my blog posts will be more frequent.

Happy knitting!

The Newest FO's and Prizes!

And you thought I was busy at work or on vacation or something! No, I have been knitting instead of blogging the last two weeks.

I became completely obsessed with this pair of socks. After making three pairs of boring socks for HoneyBunny I found myself knitting these without even realizing that there was nothing boring about them. I had originally started them to become another boring pair of summer socks for him, using left-overs again.

However, after working the double braided rib I suddenly found myself making these cute little "picket fence/window pane" designs. I then thought an inserted heel with a little "picket fence" detail around the edges of it would be really fun. I was running out of the white and still had tons of the "Desert Sunflower" yarn so I figured that I would do one more "picket fence" and end the sock with the multi-colored yarn.

Needless to say, they are not for HoneyBunny. They are for ME! I really love them! He just thinks they are "cute".

This is the pair that I made for the Sockamania Club this month. I have missed making a sock for it for the last two months. I just didn't have time for some reason. Both pairs are UFO's at this point.

Anyway, I used ToFutsies from Southwest Trading Co. and increased the cuff at the top by 30 rows. I like a nice 8 to 9 inch leg on my socks. In fact, if the deadline hadn't been Thursday I would have made them even longer. I absolutely love the color! and the heel design was very clever!

This is the prize I won for making a pair of socks each month of the SAMKAL over the past six months. Two skeins of beautiful sock yarn, stitch markers, a sock pattern by "Cookie", and this gorgeous knitting bag that was hand made using fabric I got to pick out. I was very excited!

I love getting presents! I am looking forward to knitting up the sock pattern. I really like all of Cookies patterns. She is an amazing sock designer!

I am almost finished with my Turkish socks!!! I am so excited!! And I found the most adorable cotton, summer cardigan/jacket/top thing. It is an additional pattern for the Summer Knitty.com online magazine. I am completely obsessed!! (I am also half done with the back already! and I only started it yesterday.) It is so cute that I am planning to make several for myself in various colors and then one for every female family member, and my dearest friends!! It is so cute, I think that every woman on the planet should have one. (Yes, you can see the obsession clearly at this point). I will post pictures of mine when it is finished, in the mean time click on the link above so you can see how cute the original one is and get the pattern for yourself!

That wraps it up! Happy Knitting!

Camping!!!!

We haven't been camping for years. Mostly because of all of the problems with HoneyBunny's back. However, we decided that it was time to get the heck out of town. (ABOUT TIME!) So the following are camp pictures. We had a great time!

Look like fun? Definately! In fact, I had so much fun I am ready to go again this weekend.

Why I Knit

Everyone knows I knit. It is a little hard to miss this about me because I knit in the doctor's office, at the park, at the pool, in the mall, in the sporting goods stores, in the movie theatre, etc. However, no one really knows WHY I knit. So, here it is...............

I knit for the peace I feel when I am knitting. I knit when I am upset because it smoothes everything over for me, and it calms and soothes my soul.

I knit during movies because I really enjoy the combination--movies/knitting--it just goes together like movies and popcorn. You will never see me watching a movie without my knitting in hand.

I knit because I can make it in my size, my favorite color at the time, and out of whatever fiber I want. And no one else will have exactly the same thing because I use patterns as a reference only, for the most part. Let's see W**-Mart come up with something that fits that bill!! HA!

I knit because HoneyBunny decided years ago that the only socks he can wear are my hand knit ones. And that's ok because I will only wear my hand knit socks as well.

I knit because I love yarn..........and fiber............and sheep..............and angora bunnies..............and cashmere!!!! How do you love cashmere and not knit? If you don't knit but love cashmere, imagine being able to spend hours and hours with cashmere caressing your hands as it slips softly through them and turns into that amazing, luxurious article of clothing!! (Whoa! I have goose bumps just thinking about it!!!)

Knitting is my life. I knit to live. I knit for comfort. Knitting isn't just something I do, it's who I am.

Happy Knitting!

Why Knit?

When It Rains It Pours

We are currently mourning the loss of HoneyBunny's career. He brought home 75% of our household income. Now it's gone. The doctor wants him to be on disability for the next two to three months to see if it makes any difference in his back pain. If not then she will put him on permanent disability. (For those of you that don't know, HoneyBunny broke his L5 vertebrae in the oil field about six years ago and has had four surgeries to try to stabilize the area. As one IME doctor put it, he has a "failed back". The latest development is that his feet keep swelling up so much he can't wear shoes and they hurt so bad he can't walk without a cane and even then it's "OOoo! Eeee! Owwww!" every step of the way. His stress and blood pressure levels are off the chart. And for those of you saying, "Well what about Workman's Comp.?" HA! Don't ever think that just because you get hurt that your insurance company is going to take care of you! Those people only exist to TAKE your money. They have no intention of EVER giving ANY of it back or providing you with any of the benefits that your money is supposed to be paying for! Regardless of how hurt you are. And on top of that, the Workman's Comp. in our state has no obligation to pay for any re-training should you loose your job as a result of your injury.)

Ya, so you can guess where we are at! I am so upset I can't even knit and I have managed to get myself so stressed out and tired--from lack of sleep--that I am very sick today. I started getting a terribly sore throat and a raging headache last night and things have not improved today.

AND! on top of all of this our congregation at church has grown so much over the last few years that they have had to draw up new boundaries and divide us up. I feel like my entire support system just crashed. My dearest friends and the leader of our congregation are going to be "in the other group" and I am going to be in the new one. I cried most of the day yesterday.

I am so ready for something good to happen! You have no idea!

Monday's Escape

The Ancient Ones

Homes built of stone and mud

Sacred dwellings

Whispers from the cobwebs

Shadows in the corners

Stories of the hunt

Painted on the wall

Reverently my hand touches Theirs.

I am in escape mode right now. The doctor wants HoneyBunny to go on disability--preferrably permanent disability. We are having a hard time trying figure out how we are going to make it. I always "run away" to my "secret garden" when life gets this bad. My secret garden is the canyons and deserts I grew up playing in. My indian ruins. The ghosts and spirits that haunt them were my friends, the kachina people would laugh in my ear and play games with me. I miss them and the time I spent there. It was my safe place then and so that's where I want to be now.

My Blogaversary Came and Went

I must apologize for not writing on the anniversary of my blog. Two years!! Wow! It doesn't seem that long. I have been so caught up in all the drama in my life right now (ok for longer than just "right now") that I didn't have it in me to write. Between The Son growing up, summer break coming about without me being available to entertain my kids, HoneyBunny's never-ending back problems that is ruling his life, etc, etc. I just haven't felt like writing.

I have been knitting and crocheting though! I have finished The Daughter's swim suit--it's very cute but I doubt I will post a picture of her in it, but I may post a picture on my Ravelry page. And I finished another pair of summer socks for HoneyBunny.

He loves them. I love that they used nothing but left-over yarn! After all, a hole in the stash means that there is room for new yarn! Yeah for new yarn!

With the little bit of warm weather we have had our river here is trying it's best to flood the roads and whatever else lies on the banks. I checked out the USGS site (geology stuff) to see how high the river was running and it said that it was at 97% of normal and 11 feet above normal.

If you look closely at the background you can see the bridge that is usually 11 feet higher in the air.

The river is providing me with a source of distraction from all of the other "stuff" that is threatening to devastate me. I love to see Mother Nature take control and remind us that she does what she wants when she wants to and our efforts to contain her rarely work. I believe we should live in harmony with her not fight to control her.

So, that just about wraps it up.

Happy Blogaversary to me!

snif, snif ;o( snif, snif

Well I have known for several years now that this day would come. I tried to prepare myself and tell myself I would be ok and everything would be alright. However, I have been weepy and melancholy all day.My precious baby has completed his elementary education and will become a "Middle-Schooler" when school starts in the fall :o( I am so sad. He is such a wonderful boy. After all the trouble he was as a baby--with all of his problems (heart, allergies, stomach troubles, crying, etc) he has been a model child.

I went to his "Me Celebration" at the elementary school that he has attended since kindergarten today. I was really nice. A local photography company went around taking candid and posed pictures of all the fifth graders in the school and put the collection together on a disc for the kido's to have as a way to remember all the good times. I cried the entire twenty minutes it played. I thought of how sweet and good all these kids have been as I have gone to the various classrooms over the years for different events. I thought of all the wonderful teachers that have loved my son and, in turn, have caused him to love school. He still runs up to hug his third grade teacher everytime he sees her.With the world becoming more and more uncertain all the time I hate to see him have to go through all the trials, pressures, and troubles that come with growing up.

I hate the thought of him loosing that innocence that seems to fade much too quickly when the teenage years set in. I hate to think that the smile that seems to always cover his face could turn to something sarcastic or rude. I hate to think about him growing up........period.You will always be my little boy, no matter where you are, no matter where you go, no matter what you do. I will always remember these precious first 12 years.

I love you.

Mom

Time Saving Technology

Supposedly computers save us untold hours of time and space. However, if you really think this is true, take a closer look at all the paper we waste making copies and have something go wrong with your computer.

I have spent HOURS and HOURS over the last two weeks trying to figure out what is wrong with my computer and printer. It has not saved me one minute of my time!! Something has gone wrong with my printer and it has somehow done something to the computer that it is attached to. I just want to tear my hair out, really, about now. I hate when there are technical difficulties!! It just makes me crazy. The reason, of course, is because instead of knitting I am sitting here trying to figure out what has gone wrong with my computer and how to fix it. I would much rather be sitting here knitting and relaxing rather than being all stressed out and angry at this stupid machine that is supposed to make my life easier and give me more free time to do the things that I enjoy.

Several years ago the computer I had before this one got spy ware or a virus or something and I lost EVERYTHING! All of my pictures of the kids birthdays, Christmas', Easter, baptisms, etc. I am still sick about it. No, I didn't back anything up because the stupid thing wouldn't turn on and let me once I realized what was wrong. I HATE TO LOOSE ANYTHING--ESPECIALLY PICTURES THAT ARE IRREPLACEABLE. So, the minute my computer experiences one little glitch I start freaking out and feel sick. I just know I am about to loose all of my pictures again. And wouldn't you know it, I haven't backed them up for a couple of months! Of course, nothing that would allow me to back up pictures is working either!

I really don't feel good right now. I am actually considering sending my pictures out to all of my online storage places so that I can figure out what to do with them from there. At least they won't be lost.

Time saving! HA!

I Miss My Home!

Things at the new job are fine....................I guess...................Not really. I am terribly homesick. Yes, I go home every night, but I miss being there all day.............in the quiet................with my doggy who loves me and keeps me company. I miss being there when my kids come home from school. I miss hugging them and asking all about their day. (I am sitting at work thinking about how nice my house always smells, my pretty flowers that are growing in the garden with my tomatoes, etc.) Boo-hoo.

I haven't done much knitting. However, I did finish HoneyBunny's first pair of short summer socks. They look great don't you think! I am half done with the second pair. (I guess I am knitting more than it seems).

I still haven't started the bottoms for The Daughter's swim suit. I have endured many inquiries over the past two weekends as a result. Unfortunately, for her, it will be at least one more weekend before I can start them because I have a flower girl dress to repair for a friend of mine who's daughter is getting married. I better get busy! The Daughter notified me that she only has 15 more school days--which translates into, "The swimming pool will be open before school gets out and I NEED A SWIM SUIT!"

Our weather has been awful! Yes, windy! I can handle rain every day but not wind! Everything is covered in dirt that has blown here from California (I am sure). I really hope it gives us all a break this weekend as it is really starting to wear on my nerves!

Hope all is happy, knitty, fluffy, and wonderful where you are!

Happy Knitting!

I've Been Tagged

SCATTERGORIES...It's harder than it looks! Erase my answers, enter yours, send it on to 10 people including the one that sent this to you.

Use the first letter of your first name to answer each of the following.They have to be real places, names, things..nothing made up!

Try to use different answers if the person in front of you had the same 1st initial. You CAN'T use your name for the boy/girl name question.

WHAT IS YOUR NAME: Tama

4 LETTER WORD: Talk

VEHICLE: Thunderbird

TV SHOW: Ummm, I don't watch tv.

CITY: Tacoma

BOY NAME: Thomas

GIRL NAME: Tara

OCCUPATION: Toll booth operator (? is this an occupation?)

SOMETHING YOU WEAR: top

FOOD: T-bone steak (MMMMmmm now I am hungry) and Tea!

SOMETHING FOUND IN A BATHROOM: talcum powder

REASON FOR BEING LATE: Tornado

SOMETHING YOU SHOUT: (That starts with a "T"?) Oh! How about, TurdBucket!!!

OK, who to tag....Annie, Awesome Mom, Fiber Chic, Anni, Chey, My Ice Cream Diary, Carol, The Delusional Knitter

Ok, Here's the Pictures!

I said there would be pictures when I had time so today somewhere between laundry, vaccuming, dishes, re-potting a huge plant (see Mrs. Know-It for details tomorrow), going to a movie, and shopping I managed to take these:This is the front of the swimsuit top I crocheted. I haven't had time to start the bottoms yet, but soon!This is the back. Its hard to tell, but it laces up and ties at the bottom. SUPER CUTE when it's on!This is a closer picture of the lacing and you can see it a little better.These are the "crew'' length socks for HoneyBunny that are well on their way to being done.And I don't know if I mentioned these, but I started this pair of socks for me out of the yarn I got in a yarn swap with Hege. I took the Jaywalkers pattern and modified it a little bit and then started them as a toe up sock. I do like the results so far!! I did a toe up version because I didn't want to waste one little bit of this gorgeous yarn.

I don't recall if I mentioned this either, but I made this for a special order I received from my etsy store. It is a laptop case that features embroidered flowers and branches like the picture that the lady who ordered it had painted. (did that make sense?) She sent me a picture of one of her original paintings and asked if I could somehow put it on a laptop case--Yes! I sure can. I dyed some worsted weight wool then knit the bag, felted it, sewed a zipper in the top, then finished it off with the embroidery. She totally loves it--I really liked it too! It fit my computer perfectly.

So, there they are! And yes, I have been very busy this month so far and it is only about half over!

Hope you all are having a great weekend! As always, Happy Knitting!

Let's Try This Again!

After yesterdays disaster--my post disappeared somehow--it was too late to write the entire thing over so I am going to try to get it on here today. Unfortunately all of that great humor and fun stuff is gone so I will just have to do what I can to re-create it.

I have obtained a job. Yeah. Unfortunately it has nothing to do with yarn, knitting, or fiber so as you can guess--it's just a job. I am working full time and if I was to design the perfect job--that has nothing to do with the love of my life (not counting HoneyBunny of course)--it would be this job. Great benefits, salary, etc, etc. I am really happy I got this one, the alternative was awful! So, now I just have to find time for what I really love to do--pet yarn and knit. I'm sure I will figure something out. What is really difficult so far is trying to maintain my store--which is about a four hour a day job--and work at my new job--which is a nine hour a day job counting lunch but not drive time to and from work. I plan to be really tired all week and not have any "ME" time.

Next--WIP's. I have been crocheting a swimsuit for The Daughter. Now I know what you are thinking--EUWWWW! No! This one is soooooo cute you won't believe it. (I will post pictures as soon as I am done and have time to take the pictures). I am making it out of the beautiful turquoise cotton (called Piper) from Dale of Norway. You can see the yarn in my store here. I have the top completely finished--which is really the hard part because of all of the adjustments that I have to make so that it fits her (if you have seen her you know what I am talking about!). I hope to have the bottoms done this weekend so hopefully there will be pictures by this time next week. I am using a bikini pattern from "Sexy Knits" as a loose reference or just an idea to work from. It really is turning out fantastic!

And finally, HoneyBunny (better known as The Boring Sock Lover) has ordered at least 4 pair of "crew" length socks for his new summer work boots. So, after locating all of the odds, ends, and leftovers of several years worth of sock yarns I am well on my way to having the first pair done. Some of the leftover yarns are from fourteen years ago when I lived in Washington State!!! It brings back very fond memories of knitting for 6-10 hours a day and playing with my baby daughter (sigh)........Anyway, again, as soon as I get time there will be pictures of them.

So, that's about all of what got lost yesterday. I am REALLY missing my old schedule--get up, get husband to work, kids to school, sit down (in pj's) at computer with breakfast, visit bloggy friends, write in blog, look at knitting patterns, take some pictures, process etsy orders, get showered and dressed sometime around noon, eat lunch and read more blogs, go to post office, knit, talk on the phone, pick up kids from school, start dinner, pretend that I have worked super hard all day for HoneyBunny, eat dinner, knit, knit somemore, and go to bed after some reading and knitting. Maybe again someday..........

Happy Knitting! Even if I am not here as often I am still thinking about all of you!

^%$###$%^&

The entire post I just wrote disappeared! I am so mad!!!!!!!!! I will write it again later. I don't have time to re-create the entire thing again tonight.

Later.

Random Ramblings

I really don't have anything particular to talk about today. No real title, no real subject. I just feel the need to go on and on about whatever. The main reason is because I still can't find a job!! I am going crazy! Never in my (blank) years of life have I had trouble getting a job. I just see an ad., go in, apply, interview--usually on the spot, and "poof" I have a job. NOT THIS TIME! I have been applying for everything under the sun for four months and have NOTHING! I am beginning to feel like I have leprosy or lice or some other disease that the mass population is terrified of. (Oh no! I'm on my pity pot again!) BOO-HOO-HOO. What's wrong with me?

Aside from this all else is good. HoneyBunny is doing fantastic after this last surgery. It has helped so much it makes me angry that his stupid (ooops! not really) surgeon didn't think to try this two years ago!! The Daughter and Pooh Bear are counting the days until Summer Break and can't wait.

Maybe I need to do some knitting. Yeah, I think that is the problem. I have been so busy job hunting, creating resumes, shopping, holiday-ing, goofing off in general, playing on the computer, and cleaning the house that I haven't done much knitting at all.

As fun as knitting sounds, though, HoneyBunny just called with an entire list of "Honey-Do's" for me. "Bring me my phone ear piece--I forgot it again. Take my boots in for sizing. Pick me up an energy drink on your way. Oh! and bring my hand-held CB so you can talk to me when you get to the job site." As if I don't have anything else to do!

Well, I better get going if I am ever going to get to my knitting today.

My How Time Flies!

...When you are trying to post to three other blogs! I have this blog, of course you know that! Then there is my new blog--Mrs. Know-It--and my two sock club blogs--Sockamania and SAMKAL 5. And since today is the last day of the month I am running around trying to get my socks that are HOT OFF THE NEEDLES! posted for the month. I don't know what happened to this month! It went by so fast. It's Easter's fault--it was two weeks early this year!



So, without further adieu, here are my socks that I finished.

Powder helped make the picture cute by posing in the background. If you want to read all about the socks go to my side bar and click on the link for Sockamania or SAMKAL 5. Sorry, I am not going to write about them AGAIN! I do love them though and they turned out wonderful!

In other news--I am a hopeless yarn snob! BOO-HOO, boo-hoo! I was somewhere online looking at yarn or knitting patterns, I'm sure, when I came across a link for Woolgirl. **WARNING** If you are low on yarn funds or stash storage space, do not go here! She had this yarn...Superwash Merino, silk, and get this! SILVER. Yes, real silver threads have been spun into this yarn! I had to have it! I am NOT supposed to be buying anymore yarn for me at least for a while--I am on a strict yarn diet until the stash is under control and I have sold a bunch of my retail yarn in my store! But there it was--sock yarn with real silver thread! I was buying it before I even knew what was happening. And a few days later there it was--in person(?) in the mail box!

Not only was the yarn beautiful, but Woolgirl really knows how to wrap up a skein and make you want it more! Isn't this a lovely package?And here is the yarn! Mocha. Isn't it LOVELY! I don't know if I can knit it. It may have to spend some quality time next to me here on my desk first and then some time in the "Special Yarns" stash (which reminds me, if you want an idea on how to store your stash, visit Mrs. Know-Its post about "stash").

I will try to get back to writing on here more. I am really having fun at Mrs. Know-It and I have invited my Blog buddy Hege, in Norway, to join me as a co-author for it. She will be posting Kids stuff and some other fun things. Be sure to stop by and check it out! Remember, if you aren't a blogger you can still post your comments and questions.

Happy Knitting!

Is It Spring Yet?

What a great weekend! No, I didn't spend it knitting (that would have been fun though!!) The weather finally got warm enough that we could go hiking. And let me tell you!! I spent Easter Sunday wishing I had worked up to the hike. I am still so sore! My back, legs, arms, even my hands are sore! (I think my hands are sore from not doing any knitting all weekend long LOL!)

This is HoneyBunny. He found some really nice fossilized sand dollars and several different species of fossilized clams in the boulder he is standing in front of. Our jackets didn't stay on very long. It was about 60 degrees (F) and just lovely outside! I think that part of the reason I am so sore was that I found some great rocks to add to my yard. When we hiked out I was carrying an extra 50 pounds (in rock) back to our vehicle!

Saturday afternoon we colored Easter eggs. This year I found some "Neon" food coloring and, as you can see, the eggs turned out really pretty! That "Electric Pink" egg was really something! I had actually bought the food coloring to dye some yarn with, but couldn't resist trying it out on the eggs first. The yarn should be pretty exciting if it looks anything like the eggs!

And here we are in our new Easter finery. I would have put the picture of all of us together on here, but I look like I weigh 200 lbs in it! I look much better in this picture with The Daughter. Yes, it was another lovely day, perfect for Easter!

In other news, I have started another blog. It is listed on my side bar as Mrs. Know-It. I get a lot of requests for recipes, gardening info., and miscellaneous stuff from my friends so I thought it would be fun to create a blog where all of this could be out there for everyone. Feel free to stop by! If you have a question I will address it in a post. I am really excited about it!! I don't profess to know everything, but what I don't know I usually can find an answer somewhere.

Hope everyone had a great weekend!