Almost the weekend.

My DH is a cleaning maniac. He is running around cleaning and straightening and just in general getting the house ready for our friend Uli who is coming in from Germany on Monday. If you didn't know better you would think she was royalty. :) He is just very excited that she has decided to come and spend her "holiday" with us. He has known her from chatting online for about 5 years. We've talked on the phone and she sounds wonderful. I can't wait to meet her. What I thought was funny is she was hoping I wouldn't mind her drinking beer. I told DH I don't care she's on vacation! She can do what she wants.. the other thing I can't wait to do is take her swimming at my sister's house. DH told her to bring a swimming suit. She asked him if we would swim in the creek?? He said no swimming pool. Her English is a bit broken but I have no problem figuring out what she is trying to say. Maybe it's from years of trying to figure out what my Grandmother was saying. She had a heavy Scottish accent. Some of her words had different meaning than what we were taught. Like a biscuit. To most american's that is a roll or a biscuit like biscuits & gravy type. Nope to Nana those were cookies. We figured that one out quick. Imagine her first time at the bakery after moving to Chicago. She told me she had "a hell of a time telling them" I guess she finally just pointed to what she wanted and they all figured it out. I think it will be good for the boys to learn about someone from another country. I had my grandmother so it was normal for me. My boys knew her breifly. My younger neices and nephews got to know grandpa.... but he didn't talk funny like grandma did.

I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend and remember those who fought for our freedom. Also anyone who has passed before us who shaped us into the people we are today.

I can't fall over.....

My beloved sister in law is coming over today and spending the night. I guess we are the only ones who can drive to and from Dwight in one day and not need to spend the night. We are talking about 43 miles here people... not like we live 4 states away. I shouldn't complain she hasn't been to our house since the Daytona 500 in Feb. 2006. She swears she was here this last feb for that same race, but she wasn't.. Justin's wonderful girlfriend came over and proceeded to piss of my father in law who left with half the race to go.
I'm hoping tonight will be like old times.. sitting at the patio table, sharing some good drinks and conversation and listening to music... maybe a fire to go along with it. This time it's at our house tho.. not hers. We used to hang out in her backyard when Mike and I first met. I'm also glad she is spending the night.. because I know from first hand experience.. it sucks to drive home late at night after having a couple drinks. Not to mention dangerous. I'm going to fix the other breakfast braid so we have food in the morning with out alot of fuss. As Mike and I have to go clean and meet with our insurance agent, and Jen to get her back in the swing of work for the summer. :) All in all it will be a good day despite what the wonderful teenager living in my basement tries to do to mess it up.





I hope to get close to finishing my bag. It's getting there.

My DH said is still looks like a boat not a bag.. but it takes time for knit items to "evolve" sometimes. I think he is just happy I'm finally making something for myself. I was looking through Knitty.com and found this wonderful bag it is called Kitchensink by Faye Whyte. I fell in love with it while searching for the perfect beach bag pattern. I hope to get the smaller bag done in time for our trip to Florida. I was recently bummed to find out you can no longer drive on my favorite beach.... so now we have to drag our crap to the beach.. hence the need for a big beach bag! We are going to spend a good portion of a day at Anastasia State Park , beach in St. Augustine. less than two months! I can't wait! If you would like the pattern you can find it here .

Thank you.

Anyone who knows me knows my weekends are at the mercy of the Nascar race for that weekend. My life is pretty much planned around the races. I do have to say that it is better than it used to be but we always watch the race. My good friend found out how devoted a fan my DH was when we came down to visit. He sat patiently for about 2 1/2 hours before the Saturday night race was cancelled until Sunday due to rain. We still had a great visit.

My point of all of this is the Yahoo group, Nascar Knitters accepted me into the group. My DH is saying you need another group ..lol But hey he has turned me into a Nascar fan (Go Denny!!) and I love to knit (especially during the races) so what better group for me to join?!? I'm still a bit confused on how they earn points in this group but I'm sure I will figure it out soon. Looks like fun. Can't wait to get to know everyone.

I'm also going to have to figure out how I can put my name in for a winner of the Pepsi 400. I won't have access to a computer because I will be at the races that entire weekend. ( Help on htat one would be great??) We are finally taking our honeymoon.. almost 3 years later.. but hey better late than not at all!! I will be attending my first Nextel Cup race (I've been told Busch races don't count) and it will be DH first time at Daytona. Yippee..... somewhere he hasn't been before.. that wasn't easy.

I have a bag for that trip currently on the needles. I've taken a break from my preemie knitting to finish up some projects I've wanted to make for me. This bag and some socks. I will post pics asap.

It's a Girl!!!!

My sisters best friend Jennifer just had baby #4, another shocker. She is very irregular so when she gets pregnant she doesn't know right away.... it takes a few months. Anyway she had her 1st girl. After Cody, Travis and Jaren they had Madison early this morning 2:43am. Miss Madison Janelle weighed in at 7 pounds even and is a petite 19inches long. Much smaller than her brothers, so mom is amazed on both counts. Little, girl. I'm told she resembles the youngest of her brothers who has told the family that if the baby wasn't a girl the doctor would have to take it back. Jaren didn't want anymore brothers :) I have no pictures yet but hope to this weekend. She will hopefully make her family debute at mom's birthday party. Yes they are also related. Jennifer's hubby and my sister's hubby are cousins. Congrats Jen & Shane!!!

Cardigan in memory of Julie is finished.

I have finished the cardigan that was a knit along in memory of the knitting groups I belong to - the moderator's daughter. I enjoyed making this. Not the reason it came to be. Losing someone is always a difficult thing to go thru but children are not supposed to go before there parents. I made this for my mom for her birthday to hopefullly keep her warm and looking good on her trip to the southwest. They leave the day after her birthday.

Back to working on my hats for Preemie Project. I got a fleece remnant and cut it in half. Got the small hole punch - punched all the way around in order to crochet an edge and it started to unravel once I started to put the edge on. Talk about frustrating! So I basically thought screw it, I will go back to knitting it's easier... less to worry about. Knitting I can almost do without looking.

Found out yesterday that Mike and I will be able to get away the first weekend in May. We are going to go and visit my dear friend Kathy and her hubby. They just bought a home in KY and we are heading down. They have never met Mike so this will be fun. It's been 4 almost 5 years since I saw them. They were in Virginia Beach back then. Jeff is from KY so they moved home. His home. She has had a hard time getting used to rural life. She was thrilled to hear we are coming down. We need the time away!!

New Socks!

This is my other project on needles. My Mock Cable socks. I got the pattern from Scarlett Knits . I found her pattern while searching for a pattern that used the sock yarn (Plymouth Yarns - Socketta. Thank goodness this is easy to tote!

I can screw up just about anything..

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Here is what I've been up to.

These are the hats I sent for the March donation to The Preemie Project Michigan. I was working on the items below when I had to send the others in. So I guess I have a head start on the next donation deadline. :)

I've also been working on a knitalong for my other knitting group KnittingMadeEasy4U. We are honoring our moderator by making this sweater in memory of her daughter Julie Bird Manson. I'm making this one for my mothers birthday. I hope she likes it. I thought the color would look great on her for summer.

Still have a way to go on it. But it is nice and easy all garter stich. I found out after this was well under way that a few of the ladies in the group are knitting this in seed stich. That would make a great pattern. Maybe I will make the next one in that. I'm hoping to make myself one next.

Pennie and I went out yarn shopping last weekend. I got some nice yarn. I got myself yarn! I bought the yarn pictured below. It was my first trip to real yarn shops, Pennie got a kick out of being with me for my "first time".

Well gotta get off here.. storms a comin.

Finally!!

The plans are set, the tickets purchased and hotel reservations made! We are going to Daytona!! We are finally taking our honeymoon. We wanted to go to Daytona 500 after the wedding but it got delayed. So we have it all set to go to the Pepsi 400 and celebrate Mike's birthday in FL. I can't wait. Sand and surf in St. Auggies again. My fav beach and city to stroll around in. I hope the weather is good not too hot. A new track to visit been by many times wanting to go in. Now I will get the opportunity to walk thru the gates instead of going thru the doors of the mall across the street! DMIL is coming to watch the kids. This is our first real vacation ever. We have taken a weekend here and there but nothing like this. :)

It's a sad day in Bears country.

The game started off fantastic. Our favorite rookie Devin Hester ran a kickoff return for 92 yards for a superbowl first - touchdown. We held on to the lead for most of the first half. Then the colts just showed the Bears that a Quarterback with 9 years of experience pays off. Oh well, I think the Bears did a great job this year! Just getting to the Superbowl is a major accomplishment and they should be very proud. Now we just need them to bring some of the Florida warmth back home with them. This 0 stuff is getting old..daytime highs of 3...brrr!! Too cold for me. But we all will be complaining in a few months that it is too hot. I guess we are never happy. Until I can afford to move somewhere that is warm year round....like San Diego I guess I will just have to continue bundling up!

Superbowl Fever has hit!

Yes the city of Chicago has gone Bear crazy! Everything is blue and orange. Even Sue the dinosaur at the Field Museum, she has a Urlacher jersey on! This is the best picture I got on my travels to pick up Kyle in the big city. He needed a ride to bring "stuff" home to mom's. He will be moving soon to Milwaukee. I got an email that his brother is coming home today. It is rare I get to see both my boys at the same time and it not be a holiday. I guess the Bears being in the Superbowl can be considered a holiday in Chicago!

Finished Projects

I'm finally getting around to posting some of the projects I finished while I was home recooping from my gall bladder surgery. I have more finished (Preemie Project items) and I hope to get them posted on here soon. Maybe one of my kids can help me figure out how to make an area that my photos go into. I can put a website together at work but this baffles me...go figure. I'm just enjoying having faster internet at home :) Ok, so the kids are right.... it does make a difference. I'm spoiled with wireless at work. But to do this (which I can't do from work) it makes it alot easier and faster.


This is a little baby hat I made for my doctor. I got a copy of Itty-bitty hats by Susan Anderson from the library. I love this book. If I can I should have Kyle get me a copy before he leaves for Milwaukee!! It's nice having a son work at a book store! I know it seems strange to make a baby hat for your doctor, but she is wonderful and he is her first. He was a Christmas baby, but like Kyra was due in the middle of January. I guess both of them wanted to be here early!

This is the blanket I made for Kyra. It's finally finished. I got an update today. She is doing fantastic and everyone is hoping she will be able to come home soon. I'm not sure if I should mail this to her or just wait for her homecoming?!?

I can't wait to she her and the new house. I missed the new house when I came up for the shower. Sometimes I do miss living up there.

I found out this evening that my son is coming home for the weekend. He also was happy to tell me it looks like he found someone to sublease his apartment. So he will be moving to the Milwaukee area. I hope things work out well for him up there. I'm not very familiar with that area of Wis. but I will enjoy learning and having a new place to visit. I've wanted to take lil dude to a zoo and I remember the Milwaukee zoo being a family favorite. Dad used to truck us all the way up there instead of going to the Brookfield zoo that was 25 miles away. It will be fun. Looking forward to hearing about Kyle's new adventures. He had his time in the "Windy City" time to move on again. At least his rent will be half and easier to come up with. Just hoping that all the paperwork on this goes thru. Keeping my fingers crossed!!

I

Baby is doing great.

Baby Kyra had her surgery yesterday and is doing fine. The surgery was for a defect in her heart. This was the first of 3 surgeries she will face in her lifetime. The next one will be in a few months.. then again at a few years old. All are doing fine. I'm almost finished with her blanket. I will post a photo of the completed blanket. I'm also trying to decide what to knit next. I'm debating about a felted purse for me out of the left overs from Christmas. I just haven't found a pattern I like just yet. I only have a week til my surgery so I better decide quick. Well back to work so my desk is clear next week while I'm gone.

I survived Christmas....barely

I got all my knitting done just in time. Sorry no pictures. I need to remember to take photos of my FO's. Currently on my needles is the baby blanket for my adopted older sister's daughters baby. Kyra was born last night and is currently at Children's Memorial in Chicago. She needs surgery for a heart defect. I haven't heard any more details. So I need to get the blanket finished.

Christmas was lovely, peaceful and fun. The boys all loved the gifts they recieved. I wasn't feeling the best all day.. had pain in my upper abdomen. After a late night trip to the ER I found out I'm full of gallstones and will need surgery to remove my gallbladder. Mom had this surgery when she was younger than me. Go to the Surgeon on friday to set everything up. Nervous but looking forward to getting it over with so the pain will be gone. Hope to get more than one day off... I can recoop and knit :)

It has been extremely quiet and calm at my house... the boys are both off visiting there mothers. Rare occassion to have both gone at the same time for more than a day or two. We have calm & quiet until Jan. 1 ahhh got to enjoy it while it lasts.

Christmas is coming.

The hubby out ready to shovel our snow!!

The weather outside was fightful. Friday we got 15+ inches of snow. That and having the first snow day from work in the 8+ years I've worked there has put me in the Holiday spirit. The above photo is the Christmasy part of my next donation to the Preemie project. Now that those items are finished I can concentrate on the Christmas presents I need to work on. I got a compliment from my father yesterday. I made him a pair of boot socks for his birthday back in August. Everyone looked at me thinking why warm socks in August. Well dad put them to work on friday plowing out his driveway, he said they are VERY WARM..He had previously used them for slipper socks around the house. He found out just how warm they were on Saturday when he wore a different pair of socks and his feet froze. He thanked me for the wonderful present from his crafty daughter. My sister is the shopper of the family. She puts equal amount of thought in her purchased gifts. My hubby wants a pair and for me to make his father a pair. My father in law is adjusting to the colder weather since moving back north from Kentucky. Off to work on the gifts!!

Bummed

Just got back from the doctor. Found out my wrist problem is carpal tunnel....:( So much for my typing and knitting for awhile unless I can work it with my brace. I can probably do it but slower. I will have to see.

Wow I'm floored.

I got an e-mail this morning that Jan in Michigan got my Preemie Project donation. She always posts pictures to share so everyone can get on and see what everyone else is making. I got on to check and my pumpkin hats are the picture attached to the October Donations. AHHH make me blush. Here is the link if you want to check it out. http://bloberry.typepad.com/ppm/ This is the chapter page for Michigan. Michigan is just really getting going on collecting donation. Seeing I live almost in the middle between Iowa and Michigan I send my work to Michigan. They need more hands.

I go to the doctor this afternoon about my wrist. I had shooting pains into my fingers last night so Mike urged me to call and get it checked out. I just hope it is nothing serious. I have to get the baby blanket for Ashley done in only a few weeks. I will post a picture of that hopefully next time.

Better get back to work. Wrist hurts too..so I better stop typing.

October already.

Hard to believe it is October. Friday I sent out my donation to The Preemie Project. I sent off 3 pumpkin hat sets and 5 hats. Seems small to me but with everything that is happening I guess it is better than nothing. With school starting and Mike's new job. Things have been very busy.
Mike was in the hospital and we are still dealing with doctor visits and testing. Kyle had strep that ended up causing an absess on his tonsil so bad he could hardly breathe or eat. Both are now on the road to recovery (I hope!) We also have a new member in our family. Mike got his truck. He has wanted a new truck forever. My baby car was not doing well so we decided before she caused us greif and more money, we traded her in and got the truck. I love the color. To our surprize we went to show it off to the parents and had the first load in the back. Mom gave us her headboard.. we could never bring it home until now!! No more "how are we going to move that" problems anymore. It will also help when we have "big" jobs with the business.

Well off to pick apples.

Yeah almost the weekend!

I have to admit, I love fall. My allergies don't care for it, and I'm known to be quite miserable with the allergies but it's nice when it's warm not hot during the day and cool enough for good sleep at night. That is how this week has been. :) I also love the smell of burning leaves and the apples... gotta love the apples!! I can't wait to take lil dude to the Apple Orchard this year. We didn't make it last year. But I think he will really enjoy himself this year. I love bringing home the apples and making all kinds of great things, pies, applesauce, maybe this year I will try Apple Butter?!?

I've been knitting away on the pumpkin hats. Getting kinda tired of them actually.. but that is what they need for the donation so that is what I'm making. I finally found the Red Carons Simply Soft at JoAnn Fabrics yesterday. Now I need the white and I will get rolling on the Santa hats. I also found a great remnant of boy fleece. I will put an edge on that soon. The piece was big enough for me to get 2 - 25" blankets out of it. I have to find and edge that is not too difficult and not too girlie. I have a feeling these will be fun to do. Something different. I get knitting ADD sometimes.. need to keep switching. good thing the baby stuff is small.. goes quick usually before I get bored I'm done.

I got some sad news last night. One of my forever friends future granddaughter was found to have a heart problem. They found something odd during a routine ultrasound, they went in yesterday for a longer one and it found a problem with the baby's heart. Tomorrow is the big full blown ultrasound. Hoping and Praying it is something that can be corrected!! I just had Ash pick out what baby blanket she wanted me to knit for her, on sunday. I want to get the supplies but I also feel I should wait to make sure the baby will be ok. Very torn on this. I think I will wait - what is one more day. Keep her in your prayers.

I will update again soon.