While putting the kids to bed tonight...

I was telling M how my hands still hurt. I had done something on Friday and my hands are sore days later. I pondered that maybe I'm getting the arthritis that runs in my family. 6 was quick with a response. He said..."Oh, then you need Honey Nut Cherrios!" M & I said, "What?!?" 6 said, "Oh wait, that's for High Cholesterol!" I was dying laughing...so I just had to share. Isn't it funny what they learn from commercials.

Lexie Barnes...and a week in the life

I so want to be in a rhythm for life. I like this better then the word "routine:. It's just not happening here. Or at least, the things I want to be a natural part of my rhythm don't seem to fit. Like my quiet times. They're never consistently at the same time of day. And often I should be working on my Romans study for CBS, but it just doesn't happen when I'm alone. That's either too early in the morning or too late at night for good cognitive thought on my part. And blogging. I want to use this for myself...to remember the fun times...to journal my finished knits...and to think outloud. I like to think outloud and 7, 6, and almost 4 aren't listening.

This has been a busy week so far.
Monday: Started Idaho for school. Reading Mailing May. Dinner was Clara's Pasta with Peas. I had dinner ready then I was out the door for work, home at 10:30.
Tuesday: Read more about Idaho. Went to the train library for a picnic. Built our Geotrax. Chicken Pot Pie for dinner (the FIAR recipe at the end of the lesson...we ordered the PDFs of the Vol. 4 files) This was SO YUM. It made enough for 2 dinners (I froze the inside of the pot pie to have a crust added when I'm ready to cook it) With a green salad and crockpot applesauce with pie crust cookies for dessert.
Wednesday: Kids just did reading because I was pulling together last minute things for an art class. I taught art to 13 kids 4-7yo (we were missing a few). We did these water color sea turtles. J came over to have D & M play with my kids while I headed off for a haircut. I had BBQ Beef thawed from the freezer for dinner. Treeclimbers for 7 & M.
Thursday: Finish up Idaho. Return books to the library. Pick up books on hold. Horseback riding. Mexican Lasagna for dinner (from the freezer). Pack for the kids and M.
Friday: The boys go to Grandma and Pop-Pop's. M goes to men's retreat. I have dinner with 3 by myself. Maybe we should have friends over.
Saturday: 3 gets a special haircut. I've always cut her hair. She wants my stylist to cut her hair. I work.
Sunday: Party for a Special 4 yo. I still have to plan the menu for her party and shop for everything.

So...not that I'm using my lack of rhythm as an excuse. There really is none. Here's my GORGEOUS Lexie Barnes bag. I took these photos on the day it arrived. I added the Fitted Knits book to show size. I love it. I love the Seatbelt style handles. I love the bright yellow and lime. 3 claimed the matching mini bag that came free...so we can match.

You know what's so sad about this bag. Today...it still has the tags on it. It's in my room waiting to be filled. I know...that's horrible! I need to find some free time for me. I did have some over our Spring Break, but I used that time to sign up for facebook. Maybe Friday Night...there will be some quiet time after 3 goes to bed.

I feel horrible, because I love the bag. And I bought it on a whim. If I haven't even filled it, then maybe I didn't NEED it. But, I dont' have a knitting bag. So I did NEED it. Life is just so hectic that I'm not in a good rhythm with my knitting. And finishing other projects. I'm looking forward to summer when I can let the kids play Legos all day long...and not feel like I need to be teaching them math and reading. Is there a pause button for life?

Tiny Socks!

I signed up for a swap today. I think I can handle something like this. I haven't been in a swap in a long time. I'm looking forward to this...and maybe I'll find some cotton swap this summer like I did last year. Check this out. Are you in?

Yarn for a FLS!

I've been wanting to knit a February Lady Sweater. All the Ravelry photos make me want to be a joiner. I don't hang out with a lot of knitters, so it's not likely that I'll show up to an event wearing the same thing as someone. And if I did...I think I'd be excited that I found another knitter. I really wanted some great yarn for a FLS and since that was out of the budget, I decided to dye my own. Then I happened on a great deal. I got some Paton's for $2.25 a ball. I was torn between green and purple for my sweater, so I thought I'd test dye one of each and then ask what you think. Here's the green. I like it. But I wish it was darker. I think. Maybe if it was darker I wouldn't like it. This is Lemonade and Lemon-Lime KA for the CA and then Leaf Green and Lemon Yellow AmeriColor (similar to Wiltons, but in drops not the gel...I get this at a cake supply store).

This is Blue Raspberry and Grape KA for the CA and then Delphinium Blue Wiltons. I knew this would split, so I wanted to see if I could get what I wanted. I think it's more muted that what I hoped for, but in a sweater, maybe that's a good thing.

Here they are together with the flash.

Here they are inside with no flash...it's a bit dark, but I wanted to try to capture every angle of the color.

So, if you were me...or just if you were choosing for me...which would you knit the FLS with???

This green has been claimed by 3 for knee socks! She dyed this one herself.

Update Alert!

I messed around with the dates of 2 old posts. Sorry if those re-appear in a reader. I've also added old posts, some as far back as November. I wanted to have those memories dated, and some of them might be interesting to you, but I don't think a reader will pick up posts that old. Here's a list...

• Mining for 7's birthday
• Happy Birthday 7!
• 7's Rocket
• The Rocket Races
• The Trophies
• Kitty Kitty
• Kid Socks 7
• Kid Socks 6
• Kid Socks 4
• Bird of Paradise Socks

I guess if I had been blogging all along there wouldn't have been so much to catch up on. I'm glad I don't scrapbook too. I'd feel horrible that I haven't even printed my photos yet, let alone cropped and designed a page. There's still a bit more to come. And then...I hope this has gotten me back into the rhythm. I've missed posting.

I heart ladybugs!

Because my camera dates photos...I can remember when things happen. Without that I might be lost. When 2 of my kids were in Napa for a week, we did lots of special things with the middle one who was home. This evening, we were at a nursery buying fertilizer for our blueberries and picked up some ladybugs. Who doesn't love some ladybugs?

6 giggled the whole time...they tickled him. I guess there could be such a thing as too many ladybugs though. More postdated posts to come.

OUT OF ORDER

Thanks so much for your prayers for my mom. It's been good for her that we have Rex, and he's benefited from some of Tigger's fancy cat combs and such. Now, she's off for for a visit to Northern CA. That's always good for a soul recharge.

My computer has been OUT OF ORDER. Switching to a new one was just not that easy for us. We ended up backing up photo files from the old computer online (Carbonite if you're interested). Then, buying an external hard drive to plug into first the old computer and then the new computer. We've been limping along. Both of our camera memory cards were completely full. Today, I think I'm finally back up and running. There may be some posts coming that are dated to reflect the time when things actually happened. Like my Lexie Barnes Bag! I saw the photos updating on Picasa this morning and I couldn't believe I let something like that slip without a post.

Posts I intend to write:

• Lexie Barnes Bag
• Kid Socks
• Bird of Paradise Socks
  
• Spring Forward Socks
• KP&S V-neck a 2nd time
  
• More yarn dyeing
• Yarn for a FLS
• alphabet days (on the 50 states blog)
• state experiences (on the 50 states blog)
• some belated thanks
  

We're heading into Spring Break next week...and I have many things planned for myself. Hopefully all the blog catch up happens! I'm also cleaning house and decluttering and donating clothes that no longer fit my children. That might not seem like a lot...but really my house is busting at the seems right now.

Kid Socks (3...almost 4)

3 (almost 4) isn't much smaller than 6. There's 25 months between them and many times people will ask if they are twins. They do look alike. And they're almost the same size. I knit them the same size socks. They both got the 6yrs size. I kept the ribbing going on the top of the foot since 7's socks were a bit loose. Here's what happens when you want a toddler to model. Wiggly feet. Well, the feet are actually wiggly all the time...not just when I want a photo.

These socks are blue raspberry, strawberry lemonade, and grape KA.

She LOVES her socks and asked for her next pair to be knee high and green!

Pray for my mom...

Today, my kitty, the one that came to live with us when I was a Freshman in High School will be put to sleep. On Saturday he stopped eating and drinking. We knew that at 20 he didn't have long, but still, he went down hill so quickly. My mom talked to the vet on Saturday and decided to take the weekend to say good-bye. My brother volunteered to take him. That's a huge praise, I'm not sure my mom could handle much more. (In the last 3 years, we've lost my Gram, our other kitty, my mom's poodle, my dad, and my mom's best friend. Just recently, another of my mom's friends said good bye to her young daughter (late 20's). Breast Cancer took her away. The memorial was on the anniversary of my Gram's death.) Anyways. It's hard to say good bye to a pet that's been a part of the family for so long. If I can find a photo of him...I'll add it. Tigger was a good kitty.