HSKS 8 kit!

Things have been a bit hectic over here for the last few months, and I"m finally now getting around to posting about the FABULOUS kit I received from my HSKS 8 summer camp pal, Honoria Beckett.


Included in my kit, is some yummy Palette yarn and some Esseential Sock from KnitPicks, a beautiful bag, which is in all of my favorite colors, stitch markers, a beading kit, and a pretty scarf pattern, for my herbology assignment, and some of my all time favorite candy- skittles and starburst! Talk about a rockin' package!! I am sooo spoiled! Thanks so much for everything Honoria!! I love it all! And I"m so sorry for the delay in getting my post up...

Kindergarten

I still have many posts to catch up on, but the most important one is this. I now have an official Kindergartener. My little Celia started Kindergarten on Monday.

When did she get so big??

woops!

I haven't posted in 20 days? Seriously?? Yikes!

Things have been a bit crazy on this end. After the vacation in the Finger Lakes, the kids and I headed to Buffalo for a week of family time. I managed to work while the kids played, and even had some fun myself! I was able to catch up with one of my best friends (who has a little girl who is 1), for lunch and then again the next day to hang out and again have lunch. It was so great to see her and the baby, who I hadn't seen since last august. Funny how some friends, you just fall back into the same time with, like no time at all has passed. It was awesome.

Then, there was the TKGA/CGOA Summer Knit and Crochet Show, which was fantastic! I had a ball, met a lot of great people, including a few people I know from Ravelry, and just had a yarny good time. I got a lot of great compliments on my yarn, and made a really good profit. I didn't make it to Sock Summit, but my yarn was there. Still waiting on hearing how it did, but I can't imagine how busy the shops are sorting out whose yarn sold, and packing it up. Craziness!

Seth is currently sick, with a double ear infection. And he has tubes in his ears, so they are just draining bloody goo all over the place. Pretty nasty, and he's been a bit cranky. Took him in to the doc yesterday, after the day care provider noticed the blood, and he's back on antibiotics. We're holding off on the Ora.pred for the moment (he's wheezing again too), but may need that in the next few days. Fun times. You know it's rough on a kid, when the doc is looking at the history of prescriptions, and he is impressed that Seth made it a month and a half since his last course. 6 weeks! It seems like he's always on antibiotics, the poor kid. Better get some stuff done while he sleeps... More later! Still need to post about the colonoscopy, more weeks from the CSA, and all of the goodies coming from our garden!

Vacay

I love vacations! This week has been so much fun! We're in Canandaigua, at my uncle's place. Last time we were here, is when I took the HPT that came up positive after my IVF cycle. So it holds a lot of good memories for me.

We've done nearly everything I can think of. The beach, the New York Wine and Culinary Center, shopping, wine drinking, relaxing, reading, spent some time with my MIL/FIL, and my SIL, and spent some time just relaxing. I got to take a nap, which I really needed. And I got to spend Tuesday in a chair. Getting my newest tattoo!! Here it is:


The pink ribbon is for my Aunt Debbie, who passed away last year from a 12+ year battle with breast cancer. The cherry blossoms are there because they are one of my favorite flowers, and we have several cherry trees in my yard that bloom every year. Love living in DC for that. If we ever move back to Buffalo/Rochester, I'll have that to remind me of our time in DC. And if we're in DC forever, I can see them year round. I got this done at Lady Luck Tattoo in Canandaigua, NY. Tom was the artist, and what he came up with is so much better than I had ever imagined. I love that there are some buds, and some petals falling- life and death. Just perfect.

My DH also spent a little time in the chair, getting his first tattoo on Thursday. Here it is:


Nice and simple, just our names. In a triangle, because he's kind of a math geek. He loves lines and angles.

Other than that, I've been reading A LOT. I finished the first two Twilight books, and am 150 plus pages into the third book. I came with the first, and bought the second, third and fourth here. Because I couldn't wait. SO addicting.

More CSA

Lots more CSA goodies last week! More beets, green beans and a few heirloom beans, tomatoes, cucumber, zucchini, blueberries, peaches, plums, black currants, cherries, some fennel fronds, green pepper, banana peppers and some lovely flowers.


We've already used the blueberries (blueberry waffles), tomatoes, zucchini, and some other goodies. Going to make some black currant schnapps with the currants. Need to get on that tonight.

Lots of knitting going on. Lots of prepping for the Knit and Crochet show, and got my packages off for the Sock Summitt. We leave for vacation on Saturday, and I can't wait! I sooo need a break!

Fun times.

The last few weeks have been a bit nutty, healthwise for me. I was sick about 2 weeks ago. So sick I could barely move. So sick that when I moved, it felt like the left side of my abdomen had a knife in it. After a few days of this massive pain, I went to my Dr, who told me I likely have Diverti.culitis. They treated me with antibiotics, and it got better. They sent me for a pelvic sonogram, which was normal, also supporting their hypothesis. At this point, since I'm young (33), they wanted me to see a GI, to make sure everything is OK. So, it was off to the GI this past friday. After waiting for an hour, I finally saw him. And his recommendation was to have a colonoscopy to rule out anything else. They want to make sure I"m OK in there, and there isn't anything else causing the abdominal pain. So, I get to do that in a few weeks. Since I closed down my Infertility blog, I will post the details here.

Now on to some actual fun things!! I spent some time at the pool this weekend, my daughter had a swim meet and did great! Then I took her for some mommy/daughter time and we saw "UP". I absolutely loved it. I laughed and cried, and it was just very well done. I highly recommend it. Just be warned if you're dealing with (or have dealt with) infertility or pregnancy loss. Definitely sad in the beginning. But other than that, it was absolutely amazing. And it was fun to spend some quality time with my Celia. Yesterday I also spent some time dyeing to get ready for the Knit and Crochet Summer Show in Buffalo next month. I got tons done, and had fun. A friend even came over to hang out and she and her niece did some dyeing too. That was fun!

I also have the last 2 weeks of CSA deliveries to catch up on.
Last Saturday (July 4th) was really yummy. We had blueberries, green beans, banana peppers, green pepper, zucchini, cucumber, collard greens, kale, red onion, beets and some flowers.

This week, was more collard greens and kale, blueberries, green beans, banana peppers, beets, potatoes, peaches, cherries, green pepper, red onion and zucchini.

I made pickled beets on Saturday night, so in a few days they'll be ready to try. One bit of the Kale was fried up with some bacon, onions, garlic, salt and pepper, and served with buttered pasta and parmesan cheese. Really fantastic. I forgot to take a pic this week, but last weeks' pick is on the camera. I have to say I really love getting all of the yummy produce every week. SO good, and worth every penny if you ask me.

SP14 questionnaire

I'm back into swaps, and having fun with them! Though I'm not hostessing this time (first time in years not hostessing!), I'm still participating. Here is my questionnaire! Hope my pal finds the answers helpful. :)

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I love anything that is really soft to the touch. I'm not allergic to wool, but sensitive to anything even remotely scratchy. I love blends too, especially interesting ones. Always on the lookout for something new and different.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
I have a really nice needle holder that my SP made me way back (SP7 I think?) for my long needles, and my circs and dpns are in a case that I bought at Maryland Sheep and Wool this year. The Knitpicks Options are in the binder it came with.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
I've been knitting hardcore for 5 years now, but on and off since I was 5. My aunt taught me when I was 5, but I only learned the knit stitch (and couldn't understand why it didn't look like "knitting". Now I'm in the know, and have been knitting non-stop for the last 5 years.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
I have a list at The Things I want, my username is sbidwell.

5. What's your favorite scent?
I love lavendar, vanilla and citrus scents.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
Oh yes! I love milk chocolate, twizzlers, starburst, skittles, and most fruity candies. Anything cherry/red is good- but not cinnamon red- that breaks my mouth out in sores. Learned that the hard way in Junior High when I ate an entire pack of Big Red gum.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
I'm into scrapbooking, knitting, spinning, dyeing yarn/roving, beading, rubber stamping, quilting, sewing, cooking, photography... I consider myself an Equal Opportunity Crafter. :)

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
I love rock, pop and the like. Not at all a fan of country or rap.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?
Blue and purple are my favorites. I really don't care much for orange, but most other colors are good.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I have 2 kids (a 16 month old and a 5 year old), and a husband. No pets anymore (the baby has asthma, so we had to find a home for our cat).

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
I wear scarves, hats and mittens. Not ponchos.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
I like to knit socks, but have been getting into more lace lately. I finally completed my first shawl, Ishbel, which I absolutely love, and now am hooked.

13. What are you knitting right now?
I've got a Swallowtail shawl going, a top (Buttercup), a few socks, a few baby/kid sweaters, and more that I can't think of at the moment.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
I do!

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
I prefer circs, but do use straights for some things. I love bamboo/wood first, but also like the metal ones from KnitPicks or Inox.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
I have both.

17. How old is your oldest UFO?
Um...at least 4 years I think? Needs to be frogged but never got to it.

18. What is your favorite holiday? What winter holiday do you observe?
Probably Halloween. I celebrate Christmas and Hanukkah.

19. Is there anything that you collect?
I collect yarn, paper for scrapbooking, beads, fabric and wine.

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
I'd like Chrissy Gardiner's new Sock book. I have a subscription to Interweave Knits only.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
I'm open to anything!

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
Yes, I am! I wear a size 10 wide shoe. Darn pregnancy made my feet grow a full size and width. But sooo worth it!

23. When is your birthday?
June 25th, just turned 33.

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID?
Of course! I'm Shelbyknits

boggart- camp game 3

I'm chosing to "Riddikulus" my giant spider boggart. He now looks really silly, is upside down, and covered in hot pink silly string. He keeps getting his legs caught on it, and is completely unable to flip back rightside up. SO funny!!

I will try to do the picture later...must go deal with a wee one at the moment.