Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Wordless Wednesday


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Thursday, October 25, 2007

Footessa

My girl. She enjoys Caillou and Sesame Street. But her favorite show to watch? The Barefoot Contessa, or "Footessa" as she calls it mesmerizes her like no other. When I asked her if she's thinking about being a chef when she grows up, she told me she'll be a "cooker". Then she turns the tables and asks me what I'm going to be when I grow up and basically I say "good question honey". Because, to be honest, I'm still not sure. I like being a mom, but for her sake and mine, I know at some point I want to get a job outside the home that will be a passion for me. For so long my job was either trying to get pregnant or completely engrossed in adoption paperwork while mostly doing jobs that paid the bills. Paying the bills is important, but I'm going to need to think about a j-o-b that I can be passionate about and enjoy. (Or not hate it.)

It's been forever since I posted and I'm sorry for that. Life has been busy including making a poncho for Buttons, getting ready (mostly just trying to get ready) for an upcoming audition, and living life. I hope to get some pictures posted of the poncho soon. Buttons loves it. Yeah!

Oops...I've written a post very similar to this one. Uh-oh, my sanity is going faster than first thought.

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Wednesday, October 17, 2007

(Not So) Wordless Wednesday


Happy Birthday Buttons!
You are sunshine and laughter, sweet and silly, smart and kind.
Every day you amaze me.
When I pick you up at pre-school you've often saved part of your snack for your dad and me.
You love to dance and seem to really understand that different songs need different movement.
The joy you have during swimming lessons should be bottled and sold.
You've just turned 3 and yet your questions sometimes get me thinking pretty hard.
You always want to know more and more and more.
I've never seen anyone who can pretend like you can and the names you make up are so fun.
You're a joke teller and I'm not the only one to say so either.
I love your laughter and the funny looks you give me and the way you try to wink when I wink at you.
I love you when your grumpy too, but thankful that it rarely takes hold for too long.
I love the fact that when we walk outside to go somewhere you look up into the sky and say "what a beautiful day" even if it's gray and muggy because then I get to see it through your beautiful eyes.
Yes, it is a beautiful day because I get to spend it with you, sweet daughter.
You are 3 and I am in awe of you.


(Also Happy Birthday to N. & L. and Happy Anniversary to C. & A.)
What a great day!!!

"Wordless Wednesday"

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Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Topic of the Week


TOPIC OF THE WEEK (which I am way behind if you're keeping count)

Now that it is getting cooler here, it makes me think of apple picking and hay rides. Are you the type that likes to go to participate in all the fall festivities like apple picking, pumpkins, decorating for the fall, hay rides, baking fall goodies, etc. or do you just sit and count the days till Thanksgiving/Christmas/Hanukkah?

I LURVE all things fall with the exception of allergies and my annual run in with bronchitis. I haven't picked apples this year mostly because our CSA runneth over. Hubby, Buttons and I went for a hay ride / farm tour and picked our pumpkins Friday night and had a blast. I haven't baked any goodies yet except coconut cupcakes for Buttons' birthday party last Saturday. (She turns 3 tomorrow!) I'm planning on making some pumpkin and/or chocolate zucchini bread, though. We do have a toddler scarecrow on our front porch dressed in Buttons clothes beside our pumpkins. Yes, I love autumn. Mmmm...

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Friday, October 12, 2007

The Wonderful Wallaby


Still a work in progress, here is the Wonderful Wallaby. This is a great pattern for toddlers through adults, can be made with or without the hood or pocket and is mostly knit in the round with the kitchener stitch being the only seaming needed. However, I need to learn to listen to the pattern, which I almost always do, but these sleeves are far too long. I thought to myself "I want add some length to this sweater so Buttons will be able to to wear it longer (like up to age 10?). Yeah, well the picture above has 2 roll ups and I think that's one too many. My friend Pat is going to show me how I can cut my knitting and finish the cuffs from the top down. Yeah, I know. She's good. She taught me how to knit and I feel like thanking her daily for that.

I need to finish the hood, and then I'll do the kitchener stitch under the arms and hood, weave in the ends and then deal with the sleeves. Hmm, maybe her arms will grow longer than the rest of her and I can leave it as is? She was born in the year of the monkey after all.I used Rowan All Seasons Cotton using a size 7 for the seed stitch cuffs and edging and 9 for the body and I really like it. Recommended needle sizes are 6 and 8, but I'm a tight knitter so I went for gauge and they recommend ribbing instead of seed stitch, but I liked Beth's so much, I copied her. It's color 209 (Heart) , 60% cotton and 40% acrylic, washable, very soft and yet very nice to knit. My friend Marsha did get a great deal on "e-boy" and I purchased a whole bag for a song.Perhaps I'll post another picture when it's all done, but it's a bit hard to get excited by finishing a sweater for Buttons while she's still wearing shorts. Where is autumn?

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Thursday, October 11, 2007

Ned & Chuck & Emerson & Olive

Every fall season I try to resist the urge to watch new shows on TV. I enjoy Big Love, Weeds, Heroes and Lost not to mention The Office or My Name is Earl. I'm trying to cut down on TV, but then I watch Pushing Daisies and I'm totally hooked. I've never been sucked into any TV show right from the get-go. It's a cross between Chocolat and Joe Vs. The Volcano in 1940's style and 1950's technicolor. It's sweet, it's naughty and they even solve crimes.
Ned is a man who is obsessed with pies and owns a restaurant called The Pie Hole where Olive (Kristin Chenowith from Wicked!) works and pines away for him. Ned has the ability to bring people back to life with just one touch, but they can only stay alive for one minute or else someone close will die instead. (If you're into reality, this show is not for you.) Emerson, a private investigator found out about Ned's secret and is now partnering with him to solve crimes for the reward money. When Ned learns that his childhood sweetheart Chuck has been murdered on a cruise ship, he goes to wake her and learn who murdered her, but after her 60 seconds is up, he cannot bring himself to touch her again so the funeral director dies. Yes, it has a bit of the macabre thrown in as well.

I'm sure I haven't done the show justice, but give it a try. A bonus for you knitters out there, Emerson goes against type as a tough P.I. when we find him in the most recent episode knitting two gun cozies and a vest. Ellen Greene from Little Shop of Horrors and Swoosie Kurtz also co-star as Chuck's eccentric aunts. Pushing Daisies airs on ABC, Wednesday, 8pm EST. (No, this is not a paid post, I'm just really geeked about this show.)

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Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Wordless Wednesday


Look Mom, perry chickers! ~Buttons
For another beautiful picture not from my camera check this out. Wouldn't you love to be in that boat? (Not so Wordless Wednesday.)

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Tuesday, October 09, 2007

20 Years? Really?

Hubby and I had our very first kiss 20 years ago today and we've been together ever since. No we weren't 10, but we were young. If I can figure out how to get old pictures into our computer, I'll post an old school pic sometime. For now, this picture is as retro as we get. It's just before we went to meet Buttons. Our plate is pretty full today with pre-school, picking up our CSA, and swimming lessons but we're all going to dinner at a nice place that is also kid friendly.

I don't say too much about Hubby because he's pretty private, but he is a wonderful husband and father. He is thoughtful, caring, funny and loving. I'll tell you just one of my favorite things about him. When we're in the middle of a disagreement, he will often give me a hug. Not to shut me up, not to make what we're discussing unimportant, but a genuine I-love-you hug. He's a fairly quiet person, so it takes people a while to get to know him so let me just tell you he's the best. I used to say I didn't deserve him, then I said no one else could deserve him either. Now I can certainly think of ways to be a better partner to him, but I think we deserve each other. This change in thinking is not because he's changed for the worse, it's because by being with him I've changed for the better and I have more confidence in large part due to our relationship. Like I said, he's wonderful.

I've been thinking about this prose by Kahlil Gibran, which was read by my mom at our wedding and I hope you like it too.

Then Almitra spoke again and said, "And what of Marriage, master?"
And he answered saying:
You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore.
You shall be together when white wings of death scatter your days.
Aye, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God.
But let there be spaces in your togetherness,
And let the winds of the heavens dance between you.
Love one another but make not a bond of love:
Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.
Fill each other's cup but drink not from one cup.
Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf.
Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone,
Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.
Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping.
For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.
And stand together, yet not too near together:
For the pillars of the temple stand apart,
And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow.

~Kahlil Gibran

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Sunday, October 07, 2007

Thank You Dishcloth Swapper!

Ok, I'm going to have to give our mailperson a big tip around holiday time because he is working hard brining packages to me. My Fall into Autumn dishcloth swapper is Alissa at Yarn Librarian and she really spoiled me very well. First of all the packages were wrapped in wonderful fall colors and had little notes to give explanations like "sorry, the beer would be hard to mail" attached to the Belgian chocolate since she knew I enjoyed Belgian beer as well as their fine confections.
Alissa sent a beautiful lavender, yellow, blue and white dishcloth and spoiled me with some great yarn as well. She sent 2 skeins of very soft lavender Berocco Touche , a ball of creamy yellow Patons Bumblebee cotton along with 2 balls of Knitpicks Shine worsted, which is really nice yarn. Alissa recommends knitting Fetching from Knitty, but going up a needle size to a 7. I love getting tips on yarn and patterns! She also sent a book on learning to crochet along with hooks and a case. I've already started a little, but I'm not taking pictures of that quite yet.
Alissa also sent a fall themed card along with some yummy chocolate things that look wonderful, but I'm trying to eat my chocolates in moderation, so I haven't tried them yet. Such willpower! Do you see how good they look? She also sent a couple of lotion samples that will work well in my notions bag because the dry weather is coming. Once again, I wish you could use more senses than just sight for this thank you because the soap and the candle she "scent" are wonderful.


What's really amazing Alissa? The night before your package came Buttons really wanted to do some stamping and I couldn't find a stamp pad in our house. The next day your lovely box showed up with magic stamps. Buttons sends you her thanks as well.

Blogger, couldn't I just do one more picture? No? Ok, this one will have to be continued as well to show you the lovely Halloween stuff Alissa sent.

Thank you so very much Alissa!

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Thank You Dishcloth Swapper Part 2


Alissa also sent this white chocolate skull, a very cute pad of paper and this tiny skeleton that grows 600% when placed in a large bucket of water. Happy Halloween indeed.

Thanks again Alissa.

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Saturday, October 06, 2007

Thank You Secret Pal 11!

I received two packages from my Secret Pal 11 "L" and they were both bursting with goodness! First off, I get this handmade card with a genuine hand knit mini sweater! It's beautiful and she told me it's easy to make. Such tiny needles! I really like that sweater and it will go on my Christmas tree in a very prominent spot.
Buttons loves the whole concept of secret pal and often pretends she has one as well. We both enjoyed all of the wrapping and we both love the color blue.
Mmmmm, shortbread. Buttery, organic, authentic and perfect with tea. 'Nuff said? Speaking of tea, this is a wonderful blend of black teas from India and China with Bergamot. I will be sharing a cuppa with my friend Marsha because I know of her love for Bergamot. Did I mention my pal is from the UK? Best tea and shortbread over there and now I have a bit of it here.
I don't think this picture does justice to the yarn. The colors are pretty close, but to fully enjoy this yarn you must touch it. I think I may make a drop-stitch scarf for myself with the Tapestry yarn. The twister yarn reminds me of sherbet and it's soo soft I might have to just pet it for a while. I know "L" had to search a bit for the cotton dishcloth yarn since I've heard from more than one person that it can be difficult to get in the UK. No ballband washcloths? How do they survive there? Well, they do have clotted cream, scones with strawberries and excellent tea. But, still.

My secret pal has been reading my blog and searching archives and apparently talking to friends and family because she really seems to know me and my tastes. She sent so much, that I have to do another post for the pictures since Blogger will only let me do 4 at a time.

To be continued...

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Thank You Secret Pal 11 Part 2!

Do you see the magazine in the left corner? Buttons loved it! My SP said she's happy to be a secret pal to Buttons as well. She sent me a great knitting mag from the UK and I've already found a sweater I want to knit for Buttons in the pages. She also sent along a funky polka-dot notebook with some pencils that come with stickers to personalize which is great since Buttons has a very unique name. There's some Belgian chocolate that I'm saving for a bit and some very yummy mango lip gloss as well. She included size 7 Lantern Moon needles and they are heavenly! I think I've sold her on them as well, so I can't wait to find out how many pairs she'll buy for herself.
"L" and I have been e-mailing each other quite a bit and I've enjoyed getting to know her very much. We're both big Buffy fans and she sent me some DVD's of Life on Mars and Doctor Who and I'm really looking forward to kicking back with some knitting and watching them. She also knows about classical music and sent some wonderful Gregorian chants and Baroque music on CD. She also sent a wonderful handwritten note along with a map from her beautiful seaside home.
This picture didn't turn out very well but she sent some great floating star candles and a handmade (by her) row counter bracelet with polished stones and quartz in a lovely green.
The best for last? Well, Everything was the best, but I do enjoy chocolate and I haven't sampled Unwrap, but I lurve Crunchie and Twirl and I believe they're difficult if not impossible to find here, so thank you for that special treat from across the pond.

As you can see, I'm a lucky duck to have such a great Secret Pal. Thank you so much "L"!

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Wednesday, October 03, 2007

Wordless Wednesday


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