TGIF 8/29/08

• Friends
• Family
• Confidence
• My chiropractor (I swear, I could kiss her!)
• music
• wool
• inspiration
• creativity
• balance
• Birthday boys

Proud Mama!

If you know us at all or you've been reading this blog for a while, you know that Andy has had lasting effects from the trauma of the fire. At first, when we were rebuilding, we could see leaps in improvement as he saw construction progressing. Since we've been home, things have leveled off. He's tested out of ST and it has (thankfully) been so long since his last episode of night terrors that I'm not sure when it was. However, he is still afraid of his own shadow. He wouldn't try new foods or take new adventures. we had to practically bubble wrap him to get him to get him to learn to ride his bike without training wheels.

Something has happened this summer. I picked up some Chinese take-out for dinner and he asked me if he could try some. I know for most kids this is no biggie, but for Andy? HUGE!

He continued to amaze us this summer. Our first night at camp, I had to tell him to stop jumping on the rocks. He was jumping from boulder to boulder - next to the camp fire. not. safe. but I was proud of his bravery.

Then he asked to do the low ropes course (yeah.. I know... photos coming next week..) and tackled it like a pro!

Next up? WATER SKIING!!!

yes, this is the kid who won't swim without a kick board AND a life jacket... in the shallow end.

We ran right to the office to get him a pass and enlisted the official family photographer (Grandpa) to take pictures.

First, Eric worked with him on the dock and showed him how to "stand up" on the skis.


Then, they got in the boat and went out to the center of the lake (where his cousin, Jessica was skiing circles around him - literally!). Eric plopped him in the water and gave him some more pre-flight instruction.



and off they went!



he never really got up, his arms aren't quite strong enough, but he is ready to try again next summer when he is bigger and stronger.


I was so proud of him when I stood on the dock watching him. It is almost like we've got our "old" Andy back. I know he'll never be quite the same, but I just hate to see him living his life in fear. I don't want him to miss out on life's wonderful opportunities.

Being Neighborly

Now, you need to know that my house once belonged to my grandparents, and my elderly neighbors moved in shortly after my grandparents did in 1945. My mom grew up with their daughters and I have know the family my entire life.

Just before we left for camp, the elderly gentleman next door passed away. He passed on Thursday. His wake was Friday and he was burried on Saturday. His wife and daughters were surrounded by friends and family for those days, but it's never long before everyone else goes back to the normal life, while his wife is left alone with her grief and, thankfully, her daughters. Sunday, when everyone else had gone, I though it would be a good day to drop by with a nice big tray of Baked Ziti. It was met with a chorus of "you shouldn't have" and "you didn't need to". One of the daughters then said, "You know what? I'm glad you did". frankly, so am I.

I should have and I did need to. It made me feel better to help them. The widow is to weak to be cooking, even in the best of circumstances. I do'nt know about anyone else, but I'm barely interested in eating after losing a loved one, nevermind cooking. BUT if the food is there....

Sometimes, neighbors are still neighbors. We live in a community and we need to share our gifts and reach out to help one another. Perhaps we all need to start watching Mr. Rogers again...

Two Years

Since this sweet little man entered our lives. It seems like just yesterday. How did he get so big? He is truly a blessing and I can not imagine our family without him.

HAPPY SECOND BIRTHDAY MONKEY!

I'll distract you with my knitting...

Still don't have the camp pics up.. so how 'bout some knitting?

First, I Finished Ryan's socks to match Todd's. Both pairs were test-driven at camp and got the seal of approval. they are both knit in my standard sock recipe. Toe up, 2x2 rib, short row heel. yawn.. but it shows the self-patterning yarn nicely and it makes for an easy commuter knit. the yarn is ON Linie supersock 100. needles US 1.5 (addi turbos).



I cast on a new sock project for ME.



The yan is more ON Linie Supersock 100, pruchased at WEBS. needles are sitll US 1.5 ATs. The pattern is Seaweed Socks from Wendy Knits. I'm thinking I'll make the Large. Right now I am almost up to the Medium increaes, so I'll try it on and see.

Next up...



Longies for Colin. I bought the green (Cascade 220 Heathers from WEBS) thinking shorties, but spring turned into summer and we are approaching fall, SO, I picked up some Patons Merino in Brown to coordinate with it. I'm working 2" horizontal stripes. The pattern is the Booty-Extreme Knit Pant which I am really enjoying!

Finally, You will notice the addition of Bobicus Maximus to my sidebar. Yes, I got all 36 squares joined and the whole thing bound. final pics are with the camp pics. I'll post the details with the final photos, which are worth the wiat! for now... a close up of the "Dudessembly".

Wounded

We're back from a week at camp without injury (more on that when I get the pictures). 24-hours at home, and we ended up with a trip to the ER with Colin.

We took the big guys to see Clone Wars and dropped Colin off for some quality time with my parents. we got home at about dinner time and all 3 boys were hungry, so all 3 boys headed for the fridge. Ryan closed the door of the fridge not noticing that Colin's thumb was between the handles of the 2 doors.

After about 3 hours of waiting, it wasn't broken, but the nail is and it will fall off. It is a bruised bloody mess. to make matters worse, he won't keep a bandage on it! So please pray it doesn't get infected. Toddler fingers are NOT know for their cleanliness.

The doctor did consider removing the nail and cleaning up the nail bed, but since he won't keep a bandage on, he felt it would do more harm than good...

Like any good mom-blogger, I took a picture while we were hanging out in the ER with Toby and a baggie of Triscits (btw- it takes a LOT more than that to entertain a toddler in a hospital waiting room. Fortunately, there were lots of people for him to talk to.)

TGIF- 8/22/08

• vacation
• going "off the grid"
• being able to schedule this post to show up while I'm communing with nature...or playing with my kids on the beach....whatever...
• a job to pay for this vacay
• time off from that job....

Post Card Exchange #3- summer 2008

The quilter's group on Ravelry has been having regular post card swaps. It really has been a fun and educational experience. I love seeing all of the cards from the other quilters so much that I've put them all up on the wall above my sewing machines. What wonderful inspiration!

Each round, I have chosen a theme. This time I took my theme one step farther. All of the cards fit together to form one larger quilt!

The theme: Autism Awareness






I had this bright, fun puzzle print that is the trademark of the Autism Awareness movement. I had other plans for it when I bought it, but decided against my initial plans.

I ironed it on to a 12" x 18" piece of Peltex (the kind that is fusible on both sides) and trimmed the edges. Next I cut it into 9 4"x6" postcards. In retrospect, I realize that I could have and should have waited until the cards were quilted and backed before I cut. next time!

To make the patterns for my appliques, I borrowed a puzzle from Ryan and chose 9 pieces from the center. I let Andy and Ryan choose 9 fabrics from my scrap bag that read as solids and coordinated with the print. Using the puzzle pieces as templates, I traced and cut each applique. Keeping the pieces oriented as they are in the puzzle, I spray basted one to each card. The applique was completed by doing a free-motion satin stitch on the edges in black to coordinate with the print.

The cards were backed by ironing muslin to reverse. The cards were finished off by serging the edges in red. Each one was addressed, stamped and sent off to its new home! I hope they are happy there!

It was late, and I laid them out wrong... but trust me... they all fit together....

TGIF- 8/15/08

• impending vacation
• my beautiful, smart, talented boys!
• my industrious, creative (and slightly irritating) husband
• being the "cool" mom already
• date night tommorrow (Clone Wars anyone?)
• finding my socks
• my 8 page camping checklist (laugh if you want, but we don't forget stuff!)
• another pair of socks done!
• hip tosses
• Phinding my Phish CD

Twice as Stupid

Remember this guy? Well apparently my bitching at him and posting a picture of his company vehicle on the Internet wasn't enough. He parked there AGAIN! Third time - if he dares a third time - I'm calling the cops. Or maybe I'll tell the delinquents hanging out next door that he pissed me off... they like me... and they aren't very bright...

Already?

We got the Sunday School registration package in the mail last night. Included in it were the information sheets for First Penance and First Communion. WHAT? Turns out my baby is a big kid.... Andy will be making his First Communion in April. WOW. I'm telling everyone because I'm trying to get it to sink in my own head...

How can he be big enough for such a huge step? I remember his birth like it was yesterday. Next thing I know we'll be planning his wedding.... oh wait... he isn't getting married because he'll be too busy being a doctor to have a wife....

yeah.. way too grown up!

Between this, his birthday and our 10th anniversary.. I'm going to be curled upin the fetal position come spring!

The Prodigal Socks

I know all of my blog readers aren't yarnivores, so I'll give you a bit of background. Hand knit socks are almost a higher plane of knitting. Many knitters think they could never accomplish such a challenge. The thin yarn and teeny needles intimidate many a knitter. Throw in the fact that you are knitting in circles- well, actually a spiral and then "turning the heel" and it seems like the Everest of knitting. BUT once you knit your first pair and put them on (assuming that they fit human proportions) you never want to wear store bought socks again... and you are addicted!



My Grammy was both a knitter and a crocheter. Every fall, she traced our hands and feet for new mittens and socks. We usually wore them right out before spring, but Grammy was happy to make us more. As the years got on and we got bigger, it became harder for her to knit, so I was more careful with my hand knits. After she passed in 1992, I was darning and hand washing my socks, hoping they'd last forever. I do still have them, but by 2005, they were no longer wearable and there wasn't enough left to darn.



Grammy taught me how to crochet when I was very little, but I never asked her to teach me to knit. I used to be mad at myself for not asking her when I had the chance. Now that I think about it, she had such little patience that I don't think that would have gone well. At one point I did try to teach myself to knit with a book and a baby blanket pattern, but I got bored long before it was even swatch-worthy. BUT, once I was out of hand-knit socks.... I knew it was time to try again. So, yeah, I finally learned to knit - with socks!



My knitting habit started around the same time as this blog actually. One of my first entries was my first pair of socks. You'll notice that was in April of '05. I only wore them a couple of times and put them away for the summer. I (apparently) brought them with me on our camping trip that August. It (usually) gets cold at night up in the mountains. shortly after that... they vanished....



Fast forward to this weekend. I pulled out the sleeping bags to air them out.





Imagine my surprise as I find MY SOCKS. My FIRST SOCKS!



After 3 years, the Prodigal Socks have returned. Last year there were record high temps and I ended up sleeping on TOP of my bag (which I evidently neglected to air before the trip and didn't bother after since I didn't use it). The year before, I skipped camp, being 9m pregnant and all (worked out well since Colin was born while the big guys were still at camp with the ILs...).

Now, these are not the prettiest socks - or the best socks I ever knit. not even the most comfortable. But they are my FIRST socks. They are a rite of passage and a symbol of my becoming a Knitter.

TGIF - 08/08/08

• fresh deli sandwiches
• not losing power
• beating the storm home
• Ravelympics
• one week unitl vaca
• grillin' and chillin'
• monkey's new words... and letters
• patience
• calm
• the fish

Who Needs Sesame Street?

Last night, I had the little TV on in the kitchen while I was making dinner and picking up so I could hear the news. After the news is Wheel of Fortune and I hadn't bothered to turn the TV off... next thing I know, Colin is repeating the letters.. then pointing at the letters and saying their names!

Blind or Stupid?

or just one lazy asshole...




You be the judge.

clearly, that is a driveway... my car is the dead giveaway... sure, there are weeds growing in the gravel... I ride my bike most days... but COME ON! you blocked my ENTIRE driveway asshole!

TGIF 8/1/08

• yarn bargains
• silk and glass
• cowntdown to camp
• Back - to - School shopping
• My new toy!
  
• craft store bargains
• little boys in mohawks (oh YES it did!)
• hitting things for fun
• my body, such as it is
• my friends
• being appreciated
• being handy and crafty