Finished!!

First, last night I found a hat I started at Woolwinders a few months ago at Sunday in the Salon. It's in grey baby alpaca, and is the softest yarn I have ever used! I finished it as my daughter was taking her bath. I wore it this morning, and it's so warm!!

The second...are myMonkey Socks!! I'm wearing them today, and I love them!! I finished these Sunday night while watching TV. This makes these socks the fastest pair of socks I've ever done!! Just over a week and a half. I'm SO proud!! And I'm completely in love with them.

And, last night, I made 6 more sets of stitch markers for my shop!! I'll post pictures tonight!

The extra bonus was that my husband and I both had yesterday off for Presidents Day. My daughter's day care was open, so we dropped her off and ran errands. We got our taxes done (we owe way more than we thought), went grocery shopping, and went to lunch and to play pool (after 2 margaritas, I forgot all about what we owe in taxes). Fun day overall!! What a productive weekend!!

EDIT: Here are the pictures!!

Wow!

Wednesday, I worked from home to avoid driving in the nasty ice. Celia's day care ended up closing early, so we ended up having a bit of a snow day too. It was so much fun!! And to top it off, I got a nice surprise in the mail!! Kerry, who I spoiled in SP9 sent me a thank you gift! I opened it and nearly fell off the couch! This is what was inside:


The yarn on the left is Sol Joy, a great sock yarn, in fantastic colors! I really love it, and am SO excited to use it!! The second one, is something I'm really excited about!! Handmaiden Sea Silk!! I've never seen it in person, and now that I have some, I can't wait to use it. It's so soft, and silky, and the sheen is just lovely!! I can't thank you enough Kerry!! What a great surprise! And it even came on Valentines day!!

funny

I have to find it funny how people in Maryland/DC area react to storms. Tuesday morning I was SO impressed that school was open! Then of course they closed early, as did the federal government. After that, we did get a bit of sleet (maybe 4 inches or so of sleet/snow combo) and a tiny bit of freezing rain (at least in our area). Schools have been closed down since and several are already saying they will be closed tomorrow because they can't get rid of all the ice/snow. I stayed home wednesday and today. I do get freaked out with ice...so I figured 1 more day at home working wouldn't be a horrible thing. I did think about it, until my husband said his ride in was OK but a lot of lanes were not open and blocked.

Knitting progress: Monkey socks! 1 is done, and the second is just about at the heel flap! Yeah!

storm?

This week has been pretty lousy so far. Apparently something I ate on Sunday really didn't agree with me, and I was rudely awaken at 11:30 sunday night with the sudden realization that I was about to get sick. I didn't sleep well after that, and really didn't feel well either. I ended up staying home Monday, since i still felt like I was going to hurl again, and had a horrible headache. Since no one else was sick (or has shown signs yet), I'm going with the idea that it was food poisoning.

Today, I got up with the hopes that everything would be closed- we had a storm in the forecast. I was so impressed that it was snowing, and schools were actually open! So off to work I went. After the schools decided to close early (ice is coming this evening and the roads were getting a little slick), I decided to head home with my laptop and some work. Since my hubby was home already (his co-workers live in Baltimore, so it was a "work from home" day today for him), I stopped off at Panera to pick up something for lunch. After a few hours, they announced that the Federal Government was closing early (at 2pm), so I got Celia and we played outside a bit. It's definitely getting a bit worse outside, more snow/sleet is coming down. I just shoveled the driveway and it's already got a small layer again. The thing I'm terrified of is what may come tonight. They're predicting an ice storm, with anywhere between 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch of ice covering surfaces. I don't mind snow at all- I can handle feet and feet of snow. But ice scares the crap out of me. No one "knows" how to drive on ice because it's so unpredicatable. I just really don't like it. So I'm crossing my fingers again, that tomorrow will be an actual snow day. And if it's icy anyways, I have enough work to do so I could work form home to avoid driving in the ice. I really hate ice. Can you tell?!

progress

Wednesday, I couldn't resist anymore! I cast-on for a new pair of socks- Monkey had been calling my name for a while, as was my STR in Purple Rain. Here is where I was Thursday afternoon...
And here is where I am now!


This may not seem like a lot of progress for some of you speedy knitters, but I'm a pretty slow knitter. I'm thrilled, and absolutely love them!! I'm definitely not going to suffer from SSS with this one!! And the STR is just amazing...the colors are perfect! I love this pattern too- easy, and fun!

favorite color swap 2

Favorite Color Swap Questionnaire

1. What are your top three favorite colors? Purple and blue are tied for my fave, and green is probably second.

2. What crafts do you really enjoy? knitting, spinning, rubber stamping, scrapbooking, quilting

3. What products do you really covet? hand painted yarns, I've been wanting to try some of the fleece artist/handmaiden yarns. I have a skein of Amethest FA sock yarn, and it's just incredible!! I also love soft/natural fibers, either as yarn or roving.

4. What other activities do you enjoy besides your favorite crafty things? photography, spending time with my almost 3-year old daughter, cooking, wine

5. Is there anything you collect? yarn, wine, yarn, poodles, yarn, scrapbooking paper, needles, patterns (especially sock patterns)

6. What is your zodiac sign and/or Chinese zodiac symbol? Cancer

7.What are your favorite…

…scents/smells? lavendar

…types of music and/or bands? Barenaked Ladies, Guster, They Might Be Giants, Dave Matthews Band

…authors? I'm up for anything

…animals? cats, poodles, snow leapord

…places to shop? yarn shops

…season? spring

…yarn/fabric/paper/other craft supplies? handpainted yarns, batik fabric, great scrapbooking paper (basic grey, wild asparagus, bazzil, or Creative Memories/Stampin 'up/TheAngelCompany stuff

…candies or goodies? twizzlers, starburst, sweettarts, orange chocolate, milk chocolate

8. Do you have any wish lists? amazon.com is on my side bar

9. Are you allergic to anything? smoke

10. Do you have any pets? What are they? 2 cats

11. Please include anything else you would like your secret pal to know about you- anything that would be helpful in finding you little gifts that you will really enjoy. I'm really pretty easy going, and like most everything! Don't hesitate to ask me any questions if you need to!

Fiber swap anyone??

One of my SP9 participants has planted an idea in my head. She's asked me to host a fiber swap for spinners, and I would like to see if anyone would be interested in participating?

If you are interested, post a comment and I'll see how it goes! I was thinking about a $30 US minimum...is that too much? Not enough? What do you think?!

This always makes me laugh...

Being from Buffalo, I can't help but love this! The sad thing, is that most of the things listed here are absolutely TRUE!

We, the people of Buffalo (and surrounding areas), hold these truths to be self-evident:

Food

We call them "wings," or "chicken wings" if you want to be formal. Never "Buffalo wings".
Nobody outside of WNY can make decent wings.
It's "weck" not "wick".
It's "pop" not "soda".
They're "subs" not hoagies or heroes or bombers.
A large pizza with cheese & pepperoni shouldn't cost more than 10 bucks.
Everyone knows someone who works in a pizza joint.
Vinegar goes on fries, and blue cheese goes with everything.
Bison Chip Dip is the only dip worth eating.
It's got to be Weber's Mustard.
We all know the Louie's to go hot dog special ...buy 5 get one free...isjust a way to get the drunks to go home.


Dining Out

Everyone knows where "the best fish-fry in town" is.
Everyone knows Mighty Taco is way better than Taco Bell.
Jim's Steak Out is best served at 3 am to a drunk.
The hot dog man on the corner has the best hotdogs in the world.
Except for maybe Friday nights, you don't have to wait for a table.
There is no public restaurant in town that requires a jacket and tie...if there was, we wouldn't go there.
You won't find Grey Poupon on the table.
We don't "valet park" unless there is absolutely no other choice.
Every bar has "happy hour" prices from 4:30 - 7pm Monday - Friday.
Even though no one orders it, if it doesn't have "Genny" it's not a bar.
Anything over $2.00 for a beer is robbery.
The bars don't close until 4:00 am
There's a bar every 10 feet.


Geography & Roads

You call it "the Scajaquada" but you spell it "198".
The most famous address is "998 Broadway".
You still get queasy driving over the peace bridge in blowing snow.
It isn't a real snowstorm unless they ban driving for more than 6 hours.
You carry a shovel and jumper cables in your trunk all year round.
If you drive a foreign car you feel guilty & constantly explain "its made in Ohio".
You think anyone who drives more than 20 minutes to get to work must live in the boondocks.
You get mad when you get stuck in "rush hour" traffic and it takes 10 minutes longer to get home.
You avoid the "blue water tower" during "rush hour" because of the above.
You know Fort Erie is famous for two things: Chinese food and the "ballet".
The roads and bridges have been paid for since 1968 but they aren't ever taking out the tollbooths.
It's inevitable whatever is finally decided on the peace bridge issue will no doubt be the wrong choice.
You rode rapid transit from end to end once just to see what it was like.
Paying $5 to park all day downtown is robbery.
The hookers may be gone, but Chippewa street still isn't for everyone.
You still refer to places like Sloan and Blasdell.
"LA" is Lackawanna not Los Angeles
Canada isn't thought of as another country..it's just over the bridge.
Secretly, you like going to Toronto.



Institutions

You threaten to send your kids to Father Bakers' if they don't behave.
You can pronounce "Weinstein" correctly on the first try.
Even though they haven't done it in about 25 years you're pretty sure channel 7 still makes reference to "pistol packing punks," and you're pretty sure they don't show the same fire every night.
You know Commander Tom's real identity.
You can only name 3 radio stations that have been around longer than 5 years: WGR, WBEN and WKBW. St least you think WKBW is still around, you just don't know what it plays since they got rid of Danny Nevareth.
Everyone says the Albright Knox art gallery is a treasure, but a lot of the stuff in there kind of looks like drop-cloths.
It's the "Hamburg Fair" not the "Erie County Fair and Exposition."
Dingus day is a well celebrated holiday.
You know the wrong newspaper folded in 1983.
You consider JC Penney to be a relatively "upscale" department store.
It's "UB" - not "SUNY at Buffalo, Amherst"
The St. Patrick's day parade means winter is officially over, even if it snows.
There is some kind of "fest" somewhere, every weekend from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
A "fest" is just another reason to drink

Sports

All-time number 1 - you hate the Miami Dolphins.
We're sure the NFL is out to screw us. So is the NHL. The NBA already did. So did major league baseball. So did the Big East conference.
Someone must listen to Bison games on the radio you just never met him.
You know someone who knows someone who really knows "the real story" on Jim Kelly."
You have a strong opinion one way or the other on Ralph Wilson.
You can't believe that you once really liked OJ.
None of the new theme parks is as cool as Crystal Beach was in its day.
Unbelievable things about other places
Everyone doesn't pay 8% sales tax or $3,000 property taxes on a $70,000 house???
All golf courses aren't flat???
What's a freeway???
The rest of the country isn't 90% Catholic???
What do you mean we have an accent??? We talk exactly like the announcers on television.
People who live in areas subject to hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, droughts, wild fires, mudslides, and earthquakes can't believe that we would live in an area that gets so much snow??? Imagine that!!! I guess they would rather drown, burn, or get blown away, or buried alive than shovel for a while.

the morning after.

We had so much fun last night! We ended up at the mall, looked at some furniture, and wandered around Barnes and Nobel. I used a gift certificate I got for Christmas, and picked up Victorian Lace Today and the winter issue of Interewave Knits. Then we headed to Melting Pot for our reservation. We were there about 10 minutes early...but they didn't seat us until almost 10PM! We were famished, and a bit annoyed. Thankfully, they were really great about it, and ended up taking $32 off our bill- essentially our drinks were free! I was really impressed. They were just very busy last night. We did end up with a fantastic corner booth, that was for about 6 people, all to ourselves. The food was incredible too. I really do love fondue!

On another topic, I stumbled across a fun contest on a Susie's blog! Go check it out!

Pathetic!!

We have a babysitter coming in 1 hour, and we have no idea what to do! Definitely dinner out, but where... Hmmm. Somewhere in Bethesda? DC? Tysons? Too many choices! Lets' just hope we don't end up doing a quick dinner followed by the bookstore before heading home at 10. Really pathetic!

EDIT: Ok, so we decided on what to do! We're going to do some shopping, for invites for Celia's party, both the one in MD and the one in Buffalo, and look for a coffee table for the family room. Dinner is at 9:15, at the Melting Pot. Fondue...yummy!! Now, I'm excited to go!!

poetry reading

Here is my contribution to the 2nd annual poetry reading. This is a poem that I loved as a child, and I still think about often.

The Road Not Taken, by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

And...I've been figured out!

For the last 3 and a half months, I've been spoiling Kerry, who is one of my SP9 co-hostesses! I felt so badly about not getting her last package out in time, that I gave her a few clues to think about before it arrived...and I'll be if she didn't get it on the first try! I'm curious to see how she got it so quickly...I must have slipped up somewhere!

The clues were:
this isn't my 1st SP, it's my 5th.
my daughter's name isn't Alice (Ally)
I've been reading your blog for about a year and a half.

I tried to be sneaky, but I guess not sneaky enough! She's really good! It's been such a blast spoiling her the last few months, and I know we'll keep in touch (she's kind of stuck with me since we're co-hostessing SP10 together). She's such a fantastic lady, so if you haven't checked her blog out yet, you should!

SP9 wound up.

When I got home monday, and after the desire to kill my husband for not taking my daughter to the doctor subsided, I got to open my final SP9 package!! It arrived that afternoon- perfect timing!

Here is what I found in the package:
Twizzlers!! I've already had a handful of them, and boy are they good! It's my usual movie treat, or vacation treat. It's so much fun to have them when I'm neither at a movie or on vacation. ;) Plus a notebook, which I'll either use to keep track of patterns/stash that I have/want to make, or use as a knitting journal. Not sure which yet. Then, there is the yummy purple handpainted yarn, which I am so in love with. I can't wait to ball it up, and use it! She also sent me a sock pattern that I love! I bought it for a swap gift, and wanted to buy 2 but they only had 1...so I bought it for the swap pal. Now i have my own copy! Yay!

Thanks so much Penny for being such a fantastic pal! I can't wait to get to know you now that I know who you are!!

What happens in Vegas...

...stays in Vegas! Or so the commercial says. Thankfully I can't keep my mouth shut about the fun I had, so I'm going to tell you all about it! First, let me say that Las Vegas is an amazing city!! I had so much fun, my head is still spinning. When my dad told me I wouldn't get much sleep, I laughed and said I would be in bed before midnight every night and sleep in. HA!! Let's just say it was about 4 hours of sleep each night. Maybe.

Friday: I got up early and headed over to the airport. My Southwest flight left right on time, and actually ended up getting in like 35 minutes early! I got off the plane, headed to the restroom and went to find my luggage. About 2 minutes after I got my luggage, in walked my ride- Nicol!! We got to the car and decided to head over to Paris for lunch. After we had crepes (I had ham and cheese with a cream sauce, and then peanut butter, banana with caramel and cream), we walked one way up towards the Venetian, Mirage, and several other hotels. All I can say is that the strip is amazing!! I love that you can walk around with open containers, and that there are people on the streets handing out directories and cards with strippers/hookers info on it. Only in Vegas!! After we wandered around a bit, it was time to head back to the hotel and find my family. Their flight got in at 4. Nicol took me into the hotel, and we parted ways. It was SO awesome to actually meet her in person. There is nothing like seeing a city through the eyes of someone who has lived there for a while. And she's just such a great gal! Thanks for the great day Nicol!! I only wish we had more time together!
Here's Bellagio!
Around 4:45 my family walked in! I realized then that one of my cousins had gotten in at 1 too, and had been playing the slots while I was on the couch waiting. I thought I had seen her, but it had been a few years so I wasn't sure. Anyway, we got checked in and went up to our rooms. On the 28th floor, and I had a fantastic view of Ceasars Palace. After everyone got freshened up, we went to play a few slots, and met up with everyone downstairs. After a cocktail at a piano bar, we went to the sports bar and found out that if you play video poker at the bar, you get free drinks. No brainer! And the bartender was WAY better. Talk about a smooth cosmo! After a bit, we met up and went to the Buffet for dinner. Let me tell you how good the lamb chops were. And the veggies, pasta and desserts! It was SO good!! Then we played a bit more, found a $5 blackjack table, lost a little (but not too bad, I mostly broke even there), and some slots, some more cocktails, and all of a sudden it was 12:30! We met in the lobby shortly after to discuss plans for the following morning. So the whole purpose of this trip was a celebration of my aunt Debbie's 10 year survival with breast cancer. It turned out a few weeks ago that she needed some surgery and had to back out. We were waiting on the last person when my dad went outside for some air. I called him when the last person came, and he walked in a few minutes later with my aunt!! Apparently she had some tests that morning and the doc cleared her to go!! It was really a huge surprise and we were all so excited! I went to bed around 2

Saturday: and was up at 6. I got dressed and headed down for slots so I could get some coffee. I found my dad, and we wandered around a bit. We met up wtih everyone else around 8:45, and headed over to Ceasars Palace, where there was a Deli. After a great breakfast (Salami and Eggs with a potato pancake...YUMMY!!), we did a little bit of shopping. Apparently my cousins had all brought dresses for going to see O, and I had cords and a jacket. So, I figured if I found a dress quickly, I'd grab one. I walked into Ann Taylor and 2 minutes later bought the dress (actually, my dad bought it for me). It was pretty, brown with ivory spots on it, perfect for the show! Then we got back to Bellagio, and headed over to MGM Grand.

After walking around a little bit, my cousins and I headed over to NY,NY to go on the roller coaster! It was really amazing, and absolutely worth the 12.50!

We walked around a bit more, and headed back to the hotel for a quick lunch at the Cafe Bellagio before our pedicure appointments (all of us got them done!). There was a little issue with my cousin's flight out of Rochester, she missed her connection. So she was on a standby for another flight, and was like #10- and she did make the flight that got in at 2, so she walked in right before we went back for the appointments. We ordered cocktails, and relaxed while we were pampered. Then, we went up to my cousins room and relaxed a bit before getting dressed for dinner. My cousin Hope wanted to do my hair and makeup, so she did, and it looked great! Unfortunately I don't have a picture of me all dressed up... Hopefully I'll get a copy from someone. 1 more cocktail before the show, which was awesome! I highly recommend seeing O if you are in Vegas. The show is just fantastic, and we were all blown away. Just make sure you have some coffee first, after a bit the music was a little slow and I was half asleep for the last 2 songs. Oops! After the show, we headed to Jasmine, a chineese restaruant at Bellagio. The food was incredible, and we were able to see the Bellagio fountains from our table. Very cool!! After that, I changed and went down to play a few more slots before bed. My cousins went up to the club Light, but I was too tired and went to bed early.

Sunday: I got up at 6:15 and ordered room service. Coffee and banana walnut bread and a bear claw. YUMMY!! I showered, got dressed and was completely refreshed when I headed down to play some more. I started out on a nickel slot. My third pull, I won about $120. I cashed out and put in another 10. When I turned that into $40, I stopped on that machine. I then decided to try the texas hold-em game against the dealer, and I lost a bit there. Then I found another machine, was winning about 40, and got a call from my dad saying to meet my uncle and cousins in the lobby to head to the old strip. We started at Binions, had breakfast and played a bit. I headed straight for the poker room and got a spot at a $2-4 table of texas hold-em'. I plopped down 100, and lost most of it, but it was the best hundred bucks I"ve spent in a long time. I had so much fun!!! Then my cousins and I wandered across the street to Golden Nugget, played some blackjack, and then headed out for a walk. After some Gelato, we spotted a tattoo parlor. Here's where it gets good! When we were chatting the first night, someone mentioned that we should all get a tattoo in my aunt's honor. We talked about getting a letter J, made of a curly pink ribbon. The artist at this place said it would cost a lot more if we did color like that, and showed us her book of fonts. We picked a pretty, curly J, and all got one done in black. Mine is on my lower back, and I LOVE IT!! I called my husband about 5 minutes before I was going to get it done, to let him know. Thankfully he doesn't like them much, but he wasn't going to be upset with me for doing it. Here's me in the chair!
And all of us:


After that, we headed back to the hotel and changed for dinner. I played some more slots and wandered a bit. After a cocktail I went over and found my family and headed out to Del Frisco's. Dinner was fabulous, the wine was yummy, and we had such a great time. After we got back, we headed over to Mandalay Bay for some more slots and gaming. We played some roulette, which was fun. I lost, then won a little back. After wandering some more, we decided to go to the Burlesque bar there. Unfortunately the show didn't start for another hour and a half, so we didn't see it. Just had a drink and chatted. Then we met up with everyone else and headed back to the Bellagio. Some of us had dessert at the Cafe Bellagio, and I headed up to bed shortly after. I had to get up at 5 to get to the airport in plenty of time.

Unfortunately I overslept a little. I set both alarms wrong (not sure how I did that one!), and thankfully was only up 15 minutes late. On my way down I ran into cousins Lauren and Dave (Lauren's hubby), and Melissa. All had stayed up all night. I found Hope and we shared a cab to the airport. After some breakfast, her flight was boarding so I headed down to my gate. My flight was on time, and I got my aisle seat with no problem. I got in a little early, headed to get my luggage, to my car and drove home. I was SO glad to get home! I missed Nathan and Celia a lot, and couldn't wait to see her sweet little face. I walked in the door with food (he called it in and I picked it up), and she ran up the stairs when she heard that I had her food. Then I saw her face. Nathan had mentioned that she had a little spill and fell and had a cut on her nose. But he didn't say it was as bad as it is!! I was ready to kill him for not preparing me better, and for not taking her to the doctor. Thankfully she wasn't in any pain, it just looks really bad. Anyway, she was happy to see me and missed me a lot. Nathan got her to bed and I just relaxed and watched TV.

She went to the doctor this morning and thank goodness her nose is fine. Nothing appears broken, so I'm really relieved! Wouldn't you be upset if you walked in and saw this first thing?? Not that it happened, but that he said it was a little scratch on her nose. I'm just really glad that she's not really hurt.


Now I'm on to catching up on sleep. I'm still completely exhausted!!

1 more day!!

In just 24 hours, I'll be waiting in the airport for my plane to arrive! I am meeting up with my dad's side of the family in Las Vegas for the weekend! I'm really excited, and can't wait to see what it's all about! I even get to meet one of my fellow co-hostesses of SP9, Nicol! It's about a 5 and a half hour flight there, so I'll have lots of knitting time, and I've somehow managed not to listen to any of the knitting podcasts that have come out in the last two weeks- I'm saving up for the plane! 4 days of peace and quiet, without my husband and daughter. Whatever will I do with myself?! I'm going to have a BLAST!!

Dyeing 101

This past Saturday, I drove out to Baltimore to the studio of MamaE for a class on dyeing! I was excited about it the second I signed up, and let me tell you- I was NOT disappointed!! The ladies in the class were all awesome, and we all had a blast!
First, we started off using Kool Aid to dye with. Here's me painting my first skein. I used Iced blue raspberry and grape. It really smelled good in the studio after we broke into the koolaid! It really reminded me of my childhood.


Then, we used Wilton dyes, which I had tried before. I did 2 skeins using this stuff, one in burgandy and blue, and the other in violet and black. It was funky when I was squirting the color on- the black actually broke to green, and halo'd it. When it came out of the microwave, it was more eggplant than black, but I really love how it came out!!

After that, we had an amazing lunch, all catered by MamaE's wonderful husband D- Thanks again! The food and wine were awesome! After lunch, we went back up and started using the Acid dyes. This was my favorite part! The colors are pretty true to what they're supposed to be. It's a little more predictable, and I had a blast playing with them. I did 4 bumps of roving (from Crown Mountain Farms), and 3 skeins of sock yarn. I am in love with them all! It was so hard to decide which to skein up, wind to a ball and use first. It ended up being the turquoise, navy and lilac, and I started a sock wtih it the other night at Knit nite over in Columbia.

If anyone wants to really learn how to dye, I highly recommend MamaE's class! She's a truly wonderful teacher, and made the class what we needed it to be. Couldn't ask for a better way to spend a Saturday!



Ok...so the other pics are still on the camera and the cleaning ladies were here today so I can't find my cable...I'll upload later!

squirrels

I thought I'd finally post a pic of the squirrel damage...
Here you go!

1st hole:

2nd hole:
And these aren't even as bad as the third, which I don't have a picture of. We called a wildlife trapping service, who will come in and trap the hungry squirrels, and remove them to a place where they won't eat our house anymore.

stash enhancements

Well! I just realized that I never posted about my christmas gifts, and other enhancements I've made recently!

First- Christmas gifts:
My mom (who is also a knitter) sent me a ballwinder and wood swift!! I knew what it was, and had been tortured not to open the boxes, but I waited a whole week past christmas so I could open it when my mom was down visiting. She also sent me my favorite Origins hand cream- it is one of the only ones that helps my cracked hands in the winter. Thanks Mom!!

My husband, I mean daughter, got me the KnitPicks Options needle set! I was beyond excited, because my husband swore he was not going to get me anything knitting related. He didn't...my daughter did! Yay!

My mother-in-law sent me a great project knitting bag. It's got a huge compartment for several projects, and pockets with gromits on the top to put yarn in so you can knit while the yarn is in the pocket. Way cool!!

My father, sent me cash. Which immediately went to Crownmountain farms and Bonkers Fiber. Both boxes arrived before Christmas! Yay!

I've been really good about not buying any yarn lately, because I'm saving my cash for my trip to Las Vegas in just over a week. I did, however, buy a membership to the STR sock club. And when I was in Buffalo this weekend, I had to go to Have Ewe Any Wool? and pick up some Encore worsted weight for an afghan I want to start soon. Other than that, I've been incredibly well behaved. I really have wanted to hit Woolwinders because they are having a great sale this month, but I've managed to stay away.

More on my trip to Buffalo, and miscellaneous other things in my next post!

when it rains...it pours.

First estimate...was for $29,000. Thank goodness we got a second estimate! A similar product (thought not quite as nice as the first), will be $17,200. Sold! All we have to do is get it approved by the HOA, and then we'll be set to start.

Last night on my way to my SnB, I noticed a rattling sound in my car. Now, it's only a 2002, and it's in pretty good shape so it surprised me a bit. I took it to a dealer this morning, so we'll see how it goes. I'm hoping it's under the warrenty. Cross fingers please!

And of course, my car is in the shop on the day we leave to head up to Buffalo. So now we'll have to driv eup there in Nathan's little civic. It's a great car, but it doesn't quite have the room as my CR-V. I'm going to take the afternoon off, and take a nap. Hopefully this will help my mood a bit because right now I'm just bummed.

I really dislike giant squirrels...

So, I'm home. I just finished my Panang beef from Tara Thai, we went there on Saturday and I enjoyed the leftovers as much as the originals. YUM!

I'm waiting for Nathan to get home so we can attempt to fix the siding where the Gianormous squirrel ate a hole through our siding. I'll post a pic later- it's a big hole! He actually thought he was going to do it himself, while I was at work. NO WAY! If he fell, he'd be laying on the ground for hours before anyone noticed. And he doesn't like heights, which makes it even worse for him. Thankfully, it should be fixed by tonight.

We're having the first of 2 estimates come through for the replacement of the siding. It's a quiet season here, so they can get us in pretty much immediately if we decide to do it. Honestly though, we'll probably wait a bit, and let the sticker shock of how much it's really going to cost us sink in. I have no idea...could be anywhere form 10K to 25K. If it's more than that, I'm running away form home. ;) Any guesses???

Happy New Year!

Only a week late...but Happy New Years to all of you!! I hope you had a great holiday! Mine was nice and low key- we hung out at home, played Monopoly (got my butt kicked), and were in bed by 10:30. It was really a perfect night!

Here are my New Years Resolutions:
1. Eat healthier- lose weight....which will hopefully lead to me getting pregnant. Keep your fingers crossed for me!!
2. Take 1 night for myself a week. I told Nathan when he started his second job that I wanted 1 night a week. He agreed, but it's just a matter of me actually taking it. And I will now! I actually went to my SnB this week, and I plan to go next week too!
3. Be neater- I have a tendancy to let the house get cluttered up really badly. No more!
4. Spend less money. This does include on yarn- while I'm not going to join the "Knit from your stash 2007" thing, I do plan to try to use what I have. This should leave me with lots of play money for MS&W and Stitches East.
5. Explore more! We've been living in the DC area for nearly 5 years, and we hardly get into DC or Baltimore. I want to start seeing more, and doing more. Especially now that Celia is old enough to really enjoy things like the Zoo, and the Aquarium.
6. Eat out less. I love food, and love to cook. But I get lazy and we end up eating out a lot, and we end up spending way too much. Kids meals are cheap, but they certainly aren't free!

As for knitting:
1. Complete a lace shawl
2. Make at least 6 pairs of socks
3. Make an afghan
4. Get better at spinning...play with my wheel more (as soon as I can find that lazy kate with my extra bobbins! It's here somewhere!)

I leave you with a few pics of WIPs form the last few months.
Here is Celia in her legwarmers!! Too cute, and she loves them!

And here is the scarf I made for her teacher. I made an identical one for my SIL, which I forgot to take a pic of first. Both were out of Brooks Farm FourPlay. Pattern is feather and fan.

2006 in review

2006 was an extremely busy year!

We made a few changes:
-Nathan switched jobs, much closer to home now- 10 minute commute vs. 1 and a half hours each way
-We sold our townhouse
-We bought a single family home

We went on a few trips:
-Nashville for my brother's wedding
-Williamsburg for Thanksgiving
-few trips up to Buffalo to visit family

I went to a few fiber festivals!
-Maryland Sheep and Wool in May
-Rhinebeck in October
-Stitches East in November

I learned a few new techniques
-spinning (bought a wheel!!)
-lace (still working on that one...)
-socks!! I'm hooked!!
-tried dyeing with food coloring- and will take an actual class in January

Met a LOT of fantastic bloggers!!
-I participated in many swaps and met some great people
-I even hostessed SP7, 8, 9...and will hostess 10!
-I was even able to meet some of you in person!

Thanks for a fantastic year everyone! I can't wait to see what 2007 brings! I'm sure I'll be meeting more of you, and having even more fun! See you all in 2007!

Yay!!

Tomorrow morning at 8, our handyman is coming over to paint our living room!! Which is really our entryway, hallway and living room! It's going to be SO pretty, I can hardly wait!! Woo hoo!

Oh, and my mom and step father are coming in tomorrow too so we get to spend some time together! I get to give my mom her Christmas present- some really lovely brooks farm yarn! I can't wait to see the look on her face when she opens it...it's so yummy!

SP9 surprise!

I did end up making it to the mall yesterday. I got there with my husband and daughter, ran into a few stores, grabbed lunch at the food court, and headed home. When we pulled into the driveway, I saw 2 boxes on my stoop! My SP9 had said that she sent something but it probably wouldn't get there before Christmas. So I was thrilled and excited to see that one of the packages was from her!! The other box was some fiber I ordered from Bonkers Fiber for a christmas gift for myself from my dad. ;)

In my SP9 box, was a wonderful treat! First, was a gift for my daugher- a bear and a sheet of stickers. The stickers have been used up and she's been carrying the bear around all over ever since she opened it! Then, I opened the card which had a starbucks gift card in it too and a note to tell me to have a gingerbread latte on her! What a sweetie! I am definitely going to do just that this week! Then came the book- ScarfStyle!! I've been wanting this book for ages, and now I have my very own copy! There are at least 4 scarves I want to make out of it, including the lace shawl. Next, was another great surprise- 2 skeins of Knitpicks Alpaca Cloud (which I've been lusting after for a long time now!) in a lovely blue!! SO beautiful and soft, I'm definitely casting on tonight for the lace shawl. She also included- her favorite needles for lacework in the right size for the shawl! So I'm all set!! My SP put together an absolutely fantastic package for me, and I can't thank her enough!! 1 more month to go and I get to find out who she is!!! The suspense is killing me!

I will post a pic later- I promise! I have to finish getting things ready for tonight!
Ok...I'm finally adding the picture!

Christmas weekend

Celia is SO excited for Christmas, it's way too cute! She keeps saying that Santa is coming Sunday but today isn't sunday yet. She keeps saying she has a present for me too...last night she said it was a car, she's too funny! Somehow I doubt my husband would ever do something like buy me a car (when we can't afford it), just after we paid off our current cars. Silly girl!

Today will be busy!! I've got to take Celia to her gymnastics class this morning, and then head over to Whole Foods to buy the meat for christmas dinner. I'm planning on making a standing rib roast, with a currant gravy, but we'll see what they have that looks good. Definitely buying a dessert, some veggies, and some other random things. It's sad- Whole Foods is about halfway between home and work if I take the back roads, so I could go much more often, but I usually only get there once a month or so. Now if there was a Wegmans closer, I'd be there every week! There are 2 that are about 45 minutes away, but with holiday traffic I don't want to do that. I heard a rumor from a friend who has a relative who works at Wegmans, that they will be building one in Frederick, MD soon. If they do, I will be THE HAPPIEST person in the world!! I realy miss Wegmans. Every time I go home I stop in, and just wander around and buy all my local favorites. By some odd miracle, they actually carry most of the local WNY favorites at the Wegmans at Dulles!

Ok, enough rambling about grocery stores! Now for the knitting content. I have been working on a scarf for Celia's teacher that I"m planning on giving her tomorrow night when we're at her house for Christmas Eve. Which reminds me...I forgot to ask her what we should bring! I guess I will have to call her today. Anyway, I've been working on that, and socks. I did finish Celia's legwarmers for Gymnastics, but of course, the last 2 weeks Nathan took her so I didn't get to see them on her. I'm looking forward to taking her today so I can see them in use. They are way too cute though- I'll have to post a pic.

I may brave the mall this afternoon or tomorrow afternoon to grab a few more things for the husband. I got him mainly PS2 games and books, and he knows what his main gift is (a UPS for his computer). We'll see how it goes. Other than that, I'm looking forward to a nice and quiet weekend!!

Coffee swap package!

Yesterday afternoon I got home and found a package on my doorstep! I knew what it was the second I saw that it was from Chrissy! Inside, I found wonderful treats- coffee, cookies, chocolates, and hot chocolate! Lovely yarn from Chewy Spaghetti in yellows, greens and pinks, a great book with quick gift patterns (even a few of them are Chrissy's own, and cool espresso machine ornament. I'll post a pic as soon as I find my camera! I'm sure it's hiding underneath some wrapping paper on my desk. Thanks for the fantastic package!! I can't wait to make a pot of coffee tomorrow morning!

EDIT: Finally adding a picture! Sorry it took so long! Darn holidays got in the way!!

My AWESOME SP8 CDQ has tagged me...so here goes!! This is a fun one.


"THE RULES:Each player of this game starts with the '6 weird things about you'. People who get tagged need to write a blog of their own 6 weird things as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave a comment that says 'you are tagged' in their comments and tell them to read your blog."

Here goes: 6 Weird things about me:

1. I'm terrified of bees. If I see one, I completely freak out. I can't even be in the same room with one if it gets in the house.

2. I usually don't like fruit in my food. Banana bread is good, banana cream pie is good, but any other type of fruit pie or dessert with fruit in it I really dislike.

3. I don't like to get my feet wet. I don't mind it if it's in my own shower, or a shower of a friend, but public showers and wet cement (like at the pool) really grosses me out.

4. My favorite sandwich is peanut butter with grape jelly and doritos (yes, the doritos actually as a layer in the sandwich. I like to thank my brother for that one. But now I can't eat a PBJ sandwich without the doritos!

5. I've been wearing glasses since I was 3.

6. When I was an undergrad, I was a Resident Advisor in the dorms. One of my residents was Nathan, who I really never saw that sememster. The following year, when he checked in to the dorms at the beginning of the sememster, he was wearing a Barenaked Ladies T-shirt. From then on, we started hanging out as friends. As soon as I broke up with my boyfriend of the time, we started dating. If he wasn't wearing that BNL t-shirt when he moved into the dorms that year, we may never have dated, let alone gotten married. It's fun that I get to say I was my husbands' RA in college. ;)

TAG: Anyone who wants to! Just comment here so I can go find your entry.

wow...

I can't believe it's been a week since I posted here! So much has been going on with holiday prep that I completely forgot post- sorry everyone! Unfortunately my daughter was sick all last week with an ear infection, a sinus infection and bronchitis. After 2 trips to the doctor (and a 3rd today to make sure her lungs were clear- and to get her a flu shot), she's finally doing better. Thankfully as of Sunday, she was herself again! I'm now recovering from too much children's TV- I probably watched about 100 episodes of Little Einsteins, Dora the Explorer, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, the Wiggles, and whatever else she wanted to watch while home with her for 4 days. The first few times, the episodes are cute- then the music gets into your head. And you wake up in the middle of the night with a stupid song in your head. Or in the shower, or while making breakfast. Now I'm going through withdrawl. I was actually glad to get back to work this week!

Then there is my car. Yesterday the little engine light went on (the one that's an actual picture of the engine, not the service soon one). I called the dealer (because I was a sucker and got the extended warrenty when I bought it 4 years ago), and took it in. Thankfully, the warrenty actually did some good- we paid the 100$ deductible for 500 in parts/labor to replace the oxygen sensor that was shot. Then they tell me that my breaks also need to be replaced (since it was there, I had them do the service and oil change that was due...1 trip better than 2. And of course, my rotors in the back were rusted so they couldn't be reused, so they had to be replaced too. $1200 later, my car was ready to pick up. Not exactly what I was expecting when I dropped it off yesterday. At least I own the car outright, so I don't have any car payments anymore. Definitely annoying though.

We've been having fun getting ready for Christmas this weekend, AND doing the lights/candles for Hanukkah. She gets one little present each day after we light the Menorah- and she's had fun with that! So far she's gotten a little puzzle, a sheet of stickers, a My Little Pony, and a water book (use water and the picture appears colored in). She's loving the attention. I just love holidays!

crazy weekend!

So this past weekend was our annual "holiday" party, and it was SO much fun!! I think that there were about 30 or so people at different times of the night. The food was great- I was so happy! I started out around 9am, made the stuffing, followed by the ham, followed by the turkey, and the yams simultaneously. Everything turned out great! A few friends didn't end up coming, but overall, everyone made it! It was so much fun to actually entertain without being cramped in our old townhouse. We had space, the kids got to run around like crazy, and the adults got to hang out and chat. I have to say it was by far the best party I've thrown! I did end up having a little too much to drink, but thankfully by about 10AM on Sunday I was feeling much better. The disgruntled elf sure packs a punch! And I seem to remember something about a chocolate martini...

So after a busy but fun weekend, it was back to work. Yesterday was good, and productive. Then last night I got a call from my dad saying that the hotel arrangements for our vegas weekend were changing and that I was going to be an a different hotel (NY, NY) all by myself. I guess there isn't enough room in my cousins' room for me too. In the end, it worked out really well though. My aunt was able to get one more room at a discounted rate at the Bellagio, so I'll have my own room at the same hotel as everyone else! Thankfully my dad is being awesome and splitting the room cost with me. (Thanks Dad, you rock!). Then, last night, darling daughter woke up at 1AM hacking and coughing so hard it freaked me out a bit. She's been doing it on and off for weeks, and has been congested for weeks, but last night the cough changed somehow. So I took her into the doctor, who said she definitely has an ear infection, and her lungs are wheezy. She said the cough has a little bit of a croupy sound to it, but not horribly. Her main concern was that she has had croup recently. Apparently when that happens, and you get sick again with a sinus infection/cold, the likelihood of developing wheezing is pretty high. So, I have to keep her home for a few days and watch to make sure it doesn't get worse (or make sure it gets better). If it's not better by friday, she has to go back agian and they'll treat her with a nebulizer. All freaky stuff, and I was a bit shocked, since I was hoping to hear "you're overreacting, she has a cold and that's it". So she's on antibiotics, and we're taking it easy.

mitten swap package

I had a lovely surprise yesterday when I went outside to grab the mail before guests started arriving! It was my package from the mitten swap I participated in a month ago! I brought in inside and tore into it. What I found inside blew me away! I had heard from my pal Morgan, who let me know that it looked like my original package was lost in the mail between Canada and the US, and that she wanted to make sure I got my package before the holidays. She had someone put a package together for me here, and it was just fabulous! Beyond worth the wait! First, was a lovely pair of fingerless mittens- a lovely red with ladybug buttons on them. They are so warm too! Then came a scarf, which is so soft and warm- I'll be wearing it tomorrow for sure. Then came the hat! A beautiful black and red hat- with a pretty flower embellishment. There was also a sachet with little cards for gauge swatches- what a fantastic idea!! The package was put together by the Knitting Guru. All I can say is Thank you SO much- I really love everything. I'll be nice and warm this winter!!

EDITED to add pictures! I finally found the cord for my camera last night when cleaning off my desk so I could finish the Xmas cards I made.
Here are the fingerless mittens- way too cute! I love the ladybug buttons.

And here are pics of everything else. The scarf is so soft- the funky border around it is just amazingly soft! And I love the hat- it fits perfectly!

success!

I made a trip to the liquor store after work yesterday, and managed to find all that I needed! I did end up getting the Bombay Sapphire Gin, thanks for the advice! I walked in figuring I'd spend $150, since we needed to stock up on the necessities like vodka, rum, tequila, etc, and I really don't like to buy the cheap stuff if I can help it. And why buy a little bottle when we go through it often enough to buy a big one instead?? I'm really not a lush, I just enjoy a margarita, vodka and tea or rum and diet coke every so often. Here's what I picked up:
large bottle of Bacardi Rum
large bottle of Sauza silver tequila
large bottle of Smirnoff vodka
large bottle of Bombay Sapphire gin
bottle of triple sec
bottle of Jack Daniels
large bottle of Yellow Tail cabernet sauvignon
large bottle of Beringer Pinot grigio
large bottle of Fat Bastard Shiraz

And the grand total?? $150.48. I have never gotten that close to a budget without even trying before!! I was so proud of my shopping skills. ;)

Pleasantly toasted

Today, we spent the day shopping and baking. Again. We went to the mall, and Celia got her picture taken with Santa! She was dressed up so adorably, and was such a good girl! We picked up a few gifts, and came home baked the cut-out cookies. Celia helped for the last bit, and she did a great job! When I get the energy to upload the pics, I'll show you her first cut-out cookies.

Since the kitchen was a mess, we went to Red Robin for dinner. They had a pretty green beverage on the special card, that was called the Disgruntled Elf. Let me tell you this drink was FABULOUS! It had Gin, Tequila, Rum, Triple Sec and Granny Smith apple syrup. Needless to say I'll make a pitcher or two for the Potluck on Saturday. It was just that good. Now I've never bought Gin before, any suggestions on a good brand??

all baked out.

I spent most of the day baking, and I don't want to do anymore! I made 3 kinds of cookies: twisted wreathes/candy canes, almond spritz, and mint chocolate chip cookies. The dough for the cut-outs is chilling, and I'll bake them off tomorrow. I'm SO exhausted! Celia was a bit of a help, and made a huge mess all at the same time. It was fun though, and I can't wait for her to help with the cut-out cookies. It will look like a sugar/flour bomb went off in our kitchen tomorrow afternoon!

I started a pair of legwarmers for Celia this morning while at her gymnastics class. She was the only one there, so she had the teacher all to herself! She was really good too, I was proud. The gym is cold though, so I decided legwarmers were a must, since she doesn't want to wear her pants in there. They are purple/silver/navy and out of Tess yarns sock yarn. I'm making the pattern up as I go, so we'll see how they come out.

And, I signed up for a dyeing class in January, which I'm really looking forward to. And the teacher...no other than the talented Mama-E!

Now, I'm off to watch some TV, knit, and down a Vodka and tea or two. ;)

Christmas meme.

1. Egg nog or hot chocolate?
hot chocolate
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just set them under the tree?
Santa wraps them all!
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
colored lights
4. Do you hang mistletoe?
nope
5. When do you put up your decorations?
Day after thanksgiving, or as close to- My daughter loves the tree and lights so we like to get as much use out of them.
6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?
ham with goop (a syrup that tops the ham made from brown sugar, orange juice and mustard...put on top the last half hour of cooking and it's a syrup!).
7. Favorite holiday memory as a child?
I think my neighbor told me but I didn't really believe her until the next year.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Yes!!
10. What kind of decorations are on your Christmas tree?
lots of ornaments, from my childhood, my husband's childhood, and ones we've gotten each other each year we've been together
11. Snow! Love it or dread it?
I love it for the first few times, then I'm done with it. Let's just say I grew up in Hamburg, NY, about 20 minutes south of Buffalo, NY...and we always had lots of snow. A foot at a time was normal. I now live in Maryland, where we get very little snow, but enough to get my fill.
12. Can you ice skate?
Not unless you want a trip to the emergency room afterwards.
13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
The Barbie dream house. I was maybe 8, and I woke up to find the house all put together in the living room. My dad had stayed up all night putting it together, and getting all the little pieces apart (food, cups, plates, furniture). I'll never forget that Christmas!
14. What’s the most important thing about the holidays for you?
Seeing the look on my daughter's face when she comes down and sees the tree with lots of presents. It's priceless!
15. What is your favorite holiday dessert?
cut out cookies
16 What is your favorite holiday tradition?
baking with my mom, now with my daughter
17. What tops your tree?
a star
18. What is your favorite holiday book?
A Christmas Carol
19. What is your favorite Christmas song?
Chestnuts roasting on an open fire
20. Candy canes?
Yum! I like the regular, white and red ones.

Tag!! You're it!

Happy Turkey day!!

Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays, and I love spending time with family and friends between now and the new year. This year, the husband and I decided to do things a bit differently. Instead of driving up to spend the holiday with family, we decided to turn it into a little mini-vacation. I'm blogging today from the lovely hotel room in Williamsburg, VA that we are staying at for the next few days. Thanksgiving "dinner" was at 11AM, at one of the taverns in Colonial Williamsburg. The turkey, yams, and stuffing were amazing! I decided to try a differnet dessert, and got the Mincemeat Pie. It was horrible! Too many fruits/raisins/whatever. I now know that I really dislike it. We spent time at the hotel pool, took a nap, and went to TGI Fridays for dinner, and had a few drinks downstairs during the Managers Reception.

I'm thankful for many things this year! I'm thankful that I'm married to a wonderful, and patient man, who is not only a great husband but an amazing father. I'm thankful for my daughter, who is the best little girl I could have ever hoped for. She blows my mind every day, and I'm so lucky to be her mother. I have amazing friends, and family, who I could never thank enough for being so great. I'm thankful that we have a roof over our heads and a fridge full of food. It has been an amazing year and I hope the next one is even better.

Happy thanksgiving everyone!!

sofa/loveseat

Here is a pic of our new sofa/loveseat.
Sofa:


Loveseat:


Big, comfy, and stain resistant. Couldn't be happier!

Wine review

So many of you don't know that I'm really into wine. I'm definitely not a wine snob, I enjoy a $7 bottle of wine as much as a $30 bottle of wine. I'd say it's a little bit of a hobby that my husband and I started together. I was first intereseted in wine in Europe, when I went with Nathan just after we started dating. We did a 18 day whirlwind tour, doing the train/hostel thing, and I loved how you could get a little pot of wine on the table for less than the cost of water. After we got back, we tried a few more, had some wine tasting parties at our apartment, and even went to Ontario's wine country for our honeymoom. We knew we were in trouble when we came back from the honeymoon with 4 cases of wine. Since then, we've pretty much always had at least 5 cases of wine in our house, and finally got a 47 bottle wine chiller last year for christmas. I think I'll start adding in wine reviews here for my benefit, and if I really get into logging, maybe I'll start a wine blog. But that will come in time.

For now, here is my first wine review!
Ever year, the third thursday of November, is the release date of Beaujolais Nouveau. I went to a local wine shop, and they had the Georges Duboeuf, 2006. If you want more info on how Beaujolais Nouveau is produced, go here.



I poured a glass and was immediately hit by the fruity aroma. The first taste was very different from what I expected. It was jammy, bursting with fruitness, and a hint of vanilla, it was almost overwhelming. But after the second taste, I was able to appreciate the wine a bit more. Overall, I enjoyed it! I had expected it to be a lot sweeter, and was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't. I will definitely buy the 2007 vintage next year to compare.

nice weekend

Friday night we got to go out!! Nathan and I headed down to Montgomery Mall, and did some christmas shopping, and had dinner. It was great to get out and get some of the shopping done without the kid. She's usually really good, but it's still easier without her.

Saturday after gymnastics, we went down to a furniture store in Rockville that is bankrupt and having a huge liquidation sale! We hoped to score some dressers or sofas. Unfortunately the dressers were all part of sets, none of which we could afford. The sofa's were another story! Our consultant helped us find a great sofa/loveseat set, that is made of microfiber, that is basically kid-proof! And it was at a fantastic price, including delivery, tax, and a fabric protection plan! Woo hoo! They were even able to deliver it the same day! So after a quick lunch, we went home and re-arranged our downstairs furniture a bit. The sofabed went into the office, and there was room for the new sofa and loveseat. They had a little trouble getting it in, but thankfully it worked! They look great, and are SO comfortable!

Sunday morning, I got up and headed out to Whole Foods to do some grocery shopping. I try to go there about once a month, to get some produce and meats, and of course hit the bakery! The corn bread is awesome, and I sometimes will splurge and get a little cake- which I did! I picked up the Strawberries and Cream cake, which we had last night for dessert. YUM! I had hoped to see one of my SP9 participants, but she wasn't working until later. After Whole Foods, we stopped at Noodles and Company to grab take-out for lunch. Celia refused to take a nap, so I left to finish up my errands. I ran back into WF, and got to meet up with one of my participants! It was really amazing how busy the place was! I got there, it was dead. Like a minute later, there were like 10 people waiting. So I waved bye, and headed to the wine store. I'm so excited I got to meet her!! (I'm not putting links here in case her SP is reading this and figures it out!) I just had to get a bottle of the Beaujolais Nouveau, that was just released last week. I got the meatloaf in the oven, and cracked open the bottle. I'll give a little review of that later, when I have the bottle in front of me. ;)

auction results

I forgot to mention the results of the silent auction for the cookies/cupcakes I made!

My chocolate chip cookies went for $33, for 3 dozen cookies- AND this was the most money any item went for!
The cupcakes (12 white chocolate, 12 Brooklyn Blackout) went for $25 for 24 cupcakes.

I was one happy camper! My baking day last sunday raised $58 for the local food bank. ;)

Thank you SP!!

I got home last night and noticed a box hanging from my mailbox as I pulled in the driveway! Sometimes the post office does that- will rubberband the box and hang it from the flag if they dont want to get out of the truck and walk it up to the door (no, we aren't far from the mailbox). So I ran down to the mailbox, grabbed the box and the rest of the mail, and ran inside. I tore it open and found some amazing things!! The first thing I did was read the card- a very cute card wishing a happy thanksgiving! then I pulled away the tissue paper to find a beautiful felted pumpkin bag!

It is realy lovely, and my daughter really wanted to grab it and run around with it but I wouldn't let her...this is mine! From there, I opened a bar of dark chocolate, with citrus! I was going to have some last night, but we went to Red Robin for dinner so I was totally stuffed.
Then followed two tins of tea bags, which look yummy! Earl grey and a hot cinnamon tea, I can't wait to try them both! I forgot to grab them on my way out of the house to bring them to work, so tonight when I get home I'll have some of the earl grey. And the sweet tarts...yummy! They are gone. ;)

Then, the yarn!! A beautiful skein of superwash nylon blend for socks. The colors are lovely- a pretty green and blue, and I will save it for a very special pair of socks for me.

Thanks pal, you are the best!! I will post pictures tonight, I promise! I couldn't find the cable to upload the pics off my camera- it always takes a day or two to find everything after the cleaning lady has been there. But truthfully, I would give up buying yarn in order to keep the cleaning lady. Yes, you read that right. ;)
And here is a cute pic of Celia helping me bake last weekend. She was mixing the dry ingredients. I was impressed at how good she was at helping, without being too much in the way. We had a lot of fun!!

Coffee swap answers!

Here are the answers for my coffee swap pal Chrissy!

1. Whole bean or ground?
Either is good! My cuisinart coffeemaker has a grinder in it, but I can override it and turn it off for grounds.
2. Fully-loaded or decaf?
Fully loaded please!
3. Regular or flavored?
Either is good. For flavored I usually like almond, hazlenut/chocolate, but not really fruity ones.
4. How do you drink your coffee?
With milk/cream and splenda
5. Favorite coffee ever?
I've like medium roast, not too bold but still has lots of flavor. I don't really have a favorite.
6. Are you fussy about your coffee or will any old bean do?
I'm always willing to try anything!
7. Favorite treats to have with your coffee?
Cookies
8. Anything else about your coffee preferences?
Nope, not really!
9. What treats do you enjoy with your coffee?
cookies, or cake, or pie!
10. Yarn/fiber you love?
Anything soft, in great colors!
11. Yarn/fiber you hate?
acrylic. I use it for some things, but definitely prefer natural fibers
12. What's on your needles?
5 pairs of socks, two or three sweaters, a few scarves, two hats, and other miscellaneous things. I need to have many projects going at different stages.
13. Favorite colors?
Blues, purples and greens
14. Allergies?
Just smoke, anything else is great!
15. Anything you really love, really don't like, or just need to get off your chest?
Nope! I'm excited to start shopping!

Heaven!!

This is what I look forward to every year! This is the best day- the day when I have my first sip of a Starbucks Gingerbread latte. It doesn't get much better than this! And no, I do not care how many calories it has...when something tastes this good, it doesn't matter.

spinning success!!!

Tuesday night I pulled out the wheel and started playing again. I took out the lovely roving that Susie sent me as a wheel warming gift- black with rainbow colors! It was lovely, soft, superwash merino. I started at around 8, and by 10, I had 2 bobbins with approx. equal amounts.


Then, last night, I pulled the wheel out again, and decided to ply! Here are the results- I'm so impressed with how everything turned out! I definitely had a harder time staying consistent with the merino, but I really love the resulting yarn. It was so soft too, that I didn't bother washing it- I couldn't wait to cast on!

I had so much fun that I pulled out the wool I started off with last week, and did another bobbin with approx. the same amount of yarn. This is how it looks plyed. I think I'm in big trouble here! I am loving spinning more each time I do it, especially now that I have a wheel. It is so much faster, and in 2 nights, I ended up with 2 skeins of yarn I can use! Yummy!!

Stitches East, I will be back next year!!

I left my house at 9AM on friday morning and made the trip over to Baltimore. By some miracle, 270, the beltway, AND 95 were all pretty clear the entire way!! I got up to the convention center, and drove around looking for parking. Finally, I was able to get a spot in a private lot at the cost of $20. I walked over to the Convention Center, and followed the signs. I had my printed out ticket that I had gotten online, so I could have as much time as possible for shopping (since I had to leave Baltimore by 12:15 at the latest, to get home in time to get Celia from daycare, and hit the road up to Buffalo, NY for the weekend. I hit the market, and was just amazed at how low key it was! There were definitely people, but not nearly as many as I've seen at the fiber festivals. Most booths had people in them, but they weren't so crazy. I didn't have to reach or squeeze in, or anything to get what I wanted, it was all right there.

The places I HAD to stop were:

Webs
Brooks Farm
Tess' Designer Yarns
Rosie's Yarn Cellar
Dancing Leaf Farms
Cloverhill
Blue Moon Fiber Arts (who I didn't know was going to be there!)
Here is a pic of nearly all of my purchases. A few are for my SP, and I don't want to give anything away, so I left them out of the picture!

Here are closeups of a few:
Brooks Farm Fourplay

STR!! Lightweight!!

More from Brooks Farm! And all on sale! Gotta love the "orphan" skeins! I even got 2 of the light blue ones!

Tess' sock yarn, which are in some favorite colors!


Let's just say I spent way more than I had planned, and I realized that while it's possible to see a lot of Stitches East in 2 hours, I won't do it again that way. It was too easy to just buy things without thinking about it, and didn't have time to process what I had already spent by the time I went to the next booth. I have already promised my hubby that I will not be buying yarn for a long time, unless there is no way around it (or if it's a gift...but I think I have gotten all the gifts I need to get now!). I managed to leave the convention center around 12:05, with 10 minutes to spare, and got home in plenty of time to get Celia and hit the road! The rest of the weekend was good, got to see some friends and family. The family part led to the spontaneous decision to join them on a trip to Las Vegas in january. Now that I won't be spending money on yarn for the next few months (til Maryland S&W), I get to save my money for the hotel and maybe some Roulette? Poker? Slots? Blackjack? Hmm....the choices!!

Special Offer!

About a month ago, a good friend lost his 14 year old sister to Leukemia. I've been wanting to do something special in her memory, and finally came up with an idea! I've designed three sets of stitch markers, which I will sell here and at my etsy store. For each set that is sold, I will donate $2 to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society! Each set is $10, plus 1$ for shipping. To create the stitch markers, I used the SP9 signiture colorways for inspiration (with the consent of Susie). Each set represents a different colorway. To order the stitch markers, send me an e-mail! I'll send you an invoice, and will ship the next day!! I have a few of each set made up, so I can start shipping tomorrow!

Here they are!!

Foxtrot: Black and grey glass beads, with pink swarovski crystal accents.

ChaCha: Black, grey and blue glass beads, with blue swarovski crystal accents.

Waltz: Blue glass beads, with fuschia, blue, purple and teal swarovski crystal accents.

Rockin Sock Club!!

I just pre-registered for the 2007 Rocking Sock club from BlueMoon!! I'm beyond excited about this!! And they updated teh colors they offer online too. Woo hoo!!

There's a first time for everything.

This weekend was a hectic and crazy weekend! My mom and step-father were up friday and saturday, and my in-laws came up late friday, through saturday/sunday and just left this morning. I'm exhausted! For the first time in a long time I am glad to be at work!

Friday, my mom, step-father, Celia and I took a trip into Alexandria, VA to see what it was like. None of us had been there before (or in a long time at least), so it was an adventure. It was drizzling pretty much all afternoon, but we hit a great spot for lunch. It was called Bittersweet, and it was Karma for us to go there, because the house I grew up in was on Bittersweet Lane. ;) The food was excellent, sandwiches and soup and cookies! We walked around a bit, and stumbled on Knit Happens! I was SO excited to find this place, since I've seen a lot about it online. Overall, I liked some of what they had- a TON of Koigu, Art Yarns, Lorna's Laces and various other yarns. I found a few things I liked, but didn't buy anything! See, when we walked in, we had my daughter with us, and she was in her harness. We just got this harness thursday, because she's now in a phase where she refuses to sit in a stroller, and will run off before you can blink an eye if you aren't very careful. The harness lets us keep her close, and she doesn't mind it at all. I was walking towards the back, where there were a few ladies at a table chatting. One turned over to the other, and said something like "the leash= NOT A FAN." I looked at her, so she knew I heard her, and was pretty annoyed! I walked out after a few minutes of browsing, without buying a single skein of yarn. And I would have bought 2 or 3 skeins of the Artyarn. That was their loss. Though I'm sure one loss of sale isn't going to matter to them, I still couldn't justify spending money there.

Saturday morning was Celia's gymnastics class. I wanted my mom and step-father to go, because they hadn't been before. She did great, and had a blast! I signed her up for the 3 year old class again too. Then we got back to the house and my in-laws had left, to go into DC to get my FIL's tags for the marathon on sunday. They left Nathan at home, without telling him how long they were going to be (if they were coming back right away or staying in DC). So we left them a key, and went shopping at Tyson's Corner. I did some good shopping too! Bought new sneakers for me and the hubby at New Balance store, a down vest for me at L.L. Bean and some shirts from J.Jill. We had an awesome lunch, and headed back home around 3. The Inlaws finally got back around 4. We all went for dinner after that, and got home in time to get Celia in for a good night sleep.

Sunday was not great. I was planning on running to the grocery store and getting the food for the week, and a pumpkin, and coming home. Instead, we all went, which always takes much longer than if it's just me. Then we ate lunch and headed into Rosslyn to see Nathan's dad finish the race (which we didn't do because it was way too far, and with Celia, I didn't want to push her any more than we already had. She was crabby, cold, and never got a nap. Needless to say, it was not the place to take a young child, and we should have stayed home. After we met up with FIL, we waited for an hour to get into the metro station, and finally got a train back. We ended up being 2 hours late for a pumpkin carving party that celia was invited to, which I felt horrible about. She was really looking forward to it, and missed half of it. Anyway, the party was fun! Celia had fun playing, I carved the pumpkin, we ate pizza and cupcakes (yum!), and chatted. Celia had an awful night. She fell asleep in the car on the way home (she was exhausted!!), which was probably an hour later than we would have stayed if we actually got there on time. By the time we got her home and woke her up, she was hysterical. For Two hours, hysterical.

Thankfully everyone left this morning and we can get her back to her routine. I love it when people visit, just NOT all at the same time. It's too much stimulation for her, and then I get upset because she's tired and upset. I know I usually don't vent too many personal things on this blog, so I do appologize for that. I just really need to go home tonight, pop open a nice bottle of red wine, and drink the entire thing. I'm not cooking tonight. Can we say Pizza??

Socktoberfest

I finally finished the socks I started earlier this year, which were meant to be for Project Spectrum! They have orange and yellow, which I usually never like. But they are a bit funky, which seems to be my thing lately! I do have about 4 other socks on the needles, and will start another pair today. My daughter loves my socks and said she wants some "just like mommy's". Thankfully I did them on 3s, so there is plenty of yarn leftover.

And here she is!!

Last night I brought the wheel in and tried her out! I have to say it took me about 10 minutes to really get going, but once I did, I had some fun! Here is my finished Ashford Kiwi. I only did 1 coat of stain, because I really like how the grain of the wood comes through so well. I had a hard time getting a good picture of it.
I used some of the roving I got at MS&W and like how it's turning out! It goes so much faster than using a drop spindle!

The wheel!

Sunday night, I took the wheel out of the box and put her together. Then I realized that it might have made more sense to wait to put it together until AFTER I had finished it. That's ok though, some of the parts easily came apart again so I was good. Last night, my wonderful husband gave our daughter a bath, and put her to bed, so I could go out to the garage and start staining my wheel! I sand-papered it lightly first, then slapped on some stain, and it looks fantastic!! I was going back and forth between doing a cherry stain, or something with more funk. I didn't take very long to decide, because when I looked at the stain samples at Benjamin Moore, I knew instantly that I had to use the one with a light blue tint to it. It turned out SO well! You can see the grain of the wood, but it's light blue. I will take pics tonight and show you all how it turned out. Now I must come up with a name for her...!

Hot Socks swap package!

Sunday afternoon, when I walked in the door after the 5 hour drive from New Jersey, I saw a box sitting on the counter! It was a Brita box, with my name on it! I was SO excited, and knew it was my Hot Sox swap package, since my pal e-mailed me to let me know it was coming. I opened it right away and found this:

First I opened the letter from Rebecca! She is so awesome!! Then I opened the book- Ina Garten's Barefoot in Paris!! I've wanted this book since it came out! I can't wait to start some recipes from it. They look fantastic! Then I opened the beautiful box, which I will use to display some of my stash in my office. What a cool idea to pack things in such a pretty box! Then I opened up two skeins of Koigu in this really pretty peaches/cream/blues colorway which I really love! Then came the chocolate coffee flavorings (YUM) and the hot chocolate, which is actual chocolate paties. It's called Abuelita, and I can't wait to try some! There were also chocolates, blistex and a cool Haloween pez dispenser. And, something I've really been wanting to try- ARTYARNS merino!! I'm so excited to try this yarn! And the colors are lovely! Thanks Rebecca!! I feel completely spoiled!!