Moving

I've decided to move over to aTreePlanted.

Do I blog here or there?

I'm not sure. What I do know is that I need this. I need the outlet of words from my head. I need a place to post knit things. And I feel like some of my computer conversations are a little one sided as I'm reading and sometimes commenting on blogs, but haven't written my own posts. I miss what this place used to be for me. I'm not sure if it's because I left this comfortable place for a snazzier blog that ended up being more work. Or if it's because when Mike finally got a new job I sighed with relief and then just felt paralyzed. It seems strange, I should have been paralyzed DURING the unemployment. But, God sustained us. And then after...well...maybe I wasn't processing some of these things because I wasn't writing out my thoughts. Either way. I'm hoping this means I'm back. I'll just have to figure out where I'm going to land. I'm writing this just to see who still has this blog in their blog reader. Anyone out there?

I'm thinking of giving this blog up...

I did start another one. I visited that blog this morning and found a draft from June and one from July. I haven't been posting either place. But, I do like the "pages" I have over there. For school, for the kids' cooking, and for life. I should have a knitting page then I'd be all set. I'm not certain that I'll actually give this one up...so I'm not taking all my old posts over there just yet. But, I'm going to give it a shot and post over aTreePlanted. Leave me a comment there so I know you've followed me over.

We're all winners!

M left 7 hours ago. He is traveling with a small carry on for his personal items and my large travel backpack as his checked luggage filled with dried fruit, tea, chocolate chips, baking cocoa, corn tortillas, jello, stickers, hot wheels, parachute men, and HANDKNITS! I just have to say thank you again to those who helped out. I pray that God will bless you for your generous hearts. I needed to use 2 models for this photoshoot. I just had to have a pic with 2 of my kiddos in matching hats.

I did draw a winner, but I've decided to send something small to all the kind knitters who sent M something. Just one problem...in the packing frenzy, I seem to have lost the return address labels I'd saved so I could mail a prize. Could you all (you know who you are) email me your mailing address? Terrie, 5 drew your name out of the glass and you'll get the prize I picked up in Northern CA while on vacation. We ended up with 10 hats, 10 cloths, 3 purses, and 2 scarf/cowls. It will be at least 2 weeks before I have a report about the new home for these items, but I can tell you now they're on a plane over the Atlantic.

*****

So the evening I typed this M had just left and he was en route to Paris. They changed planes there for the rest of the flight to Africa. I thought I could finish this post, but I ended up falling asleep and the post was stuck in draft. Those 10 days M was in Africa taught me how hard being a single parent really is! The 2nd day started with taking 5 to the Urgent Care for an ear infection. She had been up all night the previous night. The routine with the kids and doing the house clean-up at night meant that I didn't even check my email until 10pm each day. (I usually check in the am, after lunch, and after the kids bedtime.) 8 walks in his sleep, although usually only when stressed. He was up 4 times while M was gone. He's 4'8" and 85#! It's hard for me to get him back to bed when he's not awake. We did make it through the week, but I thought I'd make it to the post office too and that just didn't happen.

Mike arrived home with a bug. Stuff like that is bound to happen when you visit countries where the water isn't safe. The jet lag combined with the bug had him falling asleep at 3pm and when he was awake he was only 50% here. He is better now, but it took a week and a half. I'm finally finding my out of the piles of things around here. I have my packages ready and I'll get to the P.O. as soon as they're addressed.

Last Call

I had to get my little model to put on some hats for me. These hats are going with M to a mountain region where it will be very cold this winter. However, it was 113 yesterday in the city he'll visit next month. What a shock of temperature! I know these will be appreciated so much. He leaves at the beginning of September so it's not too late to send in a hat. I've also got some washcloths (still have to buy the soaps) and then I'll take photos of those. THANK YOU to those who have knit for others.

Here's a peak at part of the prize. I picked up this hand stamped project bag in Petaluma.

Versatile Blogger

This award comes from Dawn of WolfeFarms. Dawn, I'm trying to steal your button for my sidebar and the code isn't working for me. Maybe I need an extra cup of coffee.

Here are the responsibilities that come along with the award:

Thank the person who gave you the award. Thanks Dawn!
List 7 things about yourself.
Pass on the award to bloggers you've recently discovered.

I award this to: Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice. She's a local girl. She makes jewelry and she's got a giveaway going on right now. I love her list of kidtrips!

The BonBon Rose Girls. Chan pointed me to them. My wardrobe is in need of an update and I love the hints, tips and tricks they're sharing. And one is named Kristin (although she spells it wrong.) What's this, when I went to get their link I see they've got a jewelry give away going on too.

Carissa Graham. We're related...even if it is a bit far fetched. I knit with her Grandmother Marilyn at a Mini West Coast Swedberg Reunion (see the knitting in my new hoodie pic.) We've both got some Swedberg blood from Minnesota. Her grandma sent me a link to her blog. She has 2 babies. I remember those days. My boys are 8 & 7 and my little girl is 5 right now, but I sure did get those looks when they were 3, almost 2, and I was very pregnant.

Now about those 7 things.

1. I'm not worth talking to in the morning before my 2nd cup of coffee.
2. I have a collection of Madame Alexander dolls.
3. I love buttons.
4. I love fog.
5. My eyelashes are so light I look funny without mascara.
6. I can't live without lipgloss. My favorite color right now is called Fancy Nancy. 5 likes to wear it too.
7. I live 7 miles from the house I grew up in, but I left a piece of my heart in Northern Ca where my Grandparents lived and where I was born. I keep thinking about moving but I don't really know what it would be like to re-locate.

I've been tagged

Dawn from KnittinWolf tagged me:

1- What’s your staple meal (ie. what meal do you cook most often when you can’t be bothered to be adventurous) ? Something Mexican: Burritos, Tacos, Fajitas!

2- What do you want to be when you grow up? My Gram!

3- What book are you reading at the moment (if any)? I just finished reading Five Sacred Crossings. It was a great novel. A quick read and still lots of information. I'm reading Facing Your Giants with my couple's small group. And I've just downloaded Radical...it was $2.49 for the audio!

4- How do you relax? Relax, what's that? I copied that from Dawn. ;0) I knit!!! That's what keeps my sanity.

5- What color are the interior walls of your home? My kitchen is Sun Shimmer, my entry, hall, & living room are Mushroom Basket, the boy's room is Light Almond on the top third and Gristmill on the bottom, My girl's room is Delicate Vine, my bedroom is Dessert Fawn with Ravenwood on the wall behind our bed, the bathrooms are Hayseed and Sienna Sand, the Garage is Faded Jeans and Summer Fog (the trusses are painted Wayfarer Gray). All colors are Frazee Paint. ;0) Is it disgusting that I know all the colors still? I used to pick paint colors at work.

6- What is your guiltiest pleasure? Dove Dark Chocolate!

7- What time is bedtime and getting up time? Bedtime is 10:30pm or sometimes later....getting up time is around 7 am. I tried getting up earlier, but then I'd wake the kids and my quiet time is gone and they are cranky for being up too early.

8- How long do you spend reading blogs (per day or per week)? Right now, probably an hour every morning....that's going to have to change again when school starts in the fall again.

My selections for the next round of "tagging"are:

Well...I don't really know who I would tag. If you're reading this and feel like playing along please do...just leave me a comment so I know to go look at your list.

Blog reading and a cup of Joe...

This morning I'm starting my day with a special cup of coffee. My brother bought me 12 oz of Reservoir Coffee to go with the coffee pot for my birthday. My brother's friend from Kindergarten has started his own roasting company. They've been doing this for awhile, but this is my first experience with the coffee. They roast in small batches, and most deliveries are made on Sunday to friends at church. The coffee is fresh. This batch is organic and fair trade.

You can order from their blog. If you enjoy your coffee and can appreciate the taste nuances like some appreciate the subtle undertones in a glass of wine...then this is your coffee.

What I'm reading...well, that's changed a lot lately. I know I'm not always the best at keeping posts current. It seems like that's a trend too. Some of my old favorites aren't blogging anymore. Who I can count on...Karen @ Surviving Motherhood (a mommy blog), Channon (a knitting blog), Tammy @ Daisy Yellow (an art blog), and Ree @ the Pioneer Woman (a homeschooling/cooking/cowboy blog). But this doesn't express it all. My google reader has too many blogs. I read Christian Mom blogs to encourage me. I read knitting blogs because I have no local knitting group. I read art blogs to inspire me. I read homeschool blogs to gather ideas and so that I don't feel like I'm alone. I read cooking blogs because I'm bored with what we eat. So there you have it. My morning cup of Joe and some reading. Who do you read? Why do you read?

knitcroblo1

I saw on Mommy+Knitter that she's joining the Knitting and Crochet Blog Week. I sure could use some prompts to get me knit blogging again...and the week of questions looks fun.

How and when did you begin knitting/crocheting? was it a skill passed down through generations of your family, or something you learned from Knitting For Dummies? What or who made you pick up the needles/hook for the first time? Was it the celebrity knitting ‘trend’ or your great aunt Hilda?

I began knitting in January 2004. I had learned from my Gram when I was 10 or 12, but for me the process was too slow. Having that background though helped me to learn quickly. I was going to Weight Watchers to loose baby weight from my first 2 pregnancies. A new friend was attending the meetings with her MIL. They were planning a ski trip to Colorado and the MIL gifted her DIL with a FunFur scarf. It was cream homespun and cream FunFur on 19s. I wanted one. She told me what to bring with to the next meeting and she would teach me how after our weigh in while we were waiting for the meeting to start. I learned in about 15 minutes. I finished that first scarf in 2 evenings and I couldn't wait until the next meeting to learn to CO. I called my Gram and she walked me through it over the phone. I knit 36 of those scarves before I learned a new skill. EVERYONE I knew got a scarf for Christmas that year. My next knit was a baby blanket for 5 that I never finished. I was on bedrest with her and needed a project to work on. Moving from 19s to 7s was quite a transition though. When she was born, my Gram took the blanket and she knit on it for a few months. She was enduring chemo for ovarian cancer and didn't want to spend money on a project she might not finish. When she gave the blanket back, I didn't have the heart to finish it. Now, my mom is thinking about learning to knit so that 3 generations can work on the same blanket. I might just teach 5 to knit then...or at least let her work with me while in my lap. In 2006, I met a friend at our LYS. That was the first I knew about a LYS. Before that I had only shopped at Michael's. I saw the cutest felted purse. I bought Pursnalities and the Cascade 220 that night. I still love my lime green purse though I don't use it often. Since then I've tried a lot of new techniques, but I've never had another class/lesson after those first 15 minutes.

TAGGING CODE: knitcroblo1

Point of Grace

They are one of my FAVORITE groups. I love that I've "grown up" with them. I've been listening to POG since before I was married. Now the girls in the group are married with children too. The song that I'm trying to live by right now.... How You Live.

Check out the Point Of Grace giveaway on We Are THAT Family.

Treasure Box

Yesterday I got a blessing in a phone call. My church has started participating with Treasure Box. Here's a video a local news station did about this program. It's something I had looked into when we were first unemployed, but I was nervous about spending money on something that I wasn't sure we would like. Well, I'm not sure if there was an surplus order at my church or if this was planned for (I personally don't believe in coincidences), but I was able to pick up a box today even though I hadn't pre-ordered. The woman who organizes this for our church was calling select families (those who have need) to let them purchase the treasure boxes at 1/2 price. So, what you see below is what I was able to buy for $30! The regular boxes cost $30...as a gift from my church, I was able to buy 2 boxes for $30. Praise God for His faithful provision. I was overwhelmed when I opened the boxes. Here's 4 (almost 5) with the cookies that were at the top of the box...she was so excited.

The regular Treasure Box included Peaches, 2 pkg Sausage Links, a math game, Instant Apple Oatmeal, Hot Dogs, Tomato Basil Soup, Chicken Fajita Strips, Broccoli Cheese Soup, 1 pkg Bacon Cheddar Burgers, Stouffer's Mac&Cheese, 2 @ 1# Ground Beef, Egg&Veggie Wraps in Whole Wheat Tortillas, Chicken Fried Rice, Broccoli/Cauliflower Mix, a Whole Cut-Up Chicken, Chili with Beans, 2 @ TollHouse Cookies, 1# Dried Black Beans, Tortillas, Ham, and French Fries.

This is the protein box. It's a good supplement to the regular Treasure Box. A Turkey Meatloaf with a Cranberry Glaze, a pkg of Chicken Thighs, a roll of Turkey Bologna, 2 pkg (6ea.) Bacon Cheddar Burgers, 4 single servings of Lemon Herb Tilapia, 4 pkg (2 serving ea.) Imitation Crab, 2 pkg of ham slices, Split Chicken Breasts, and a Roast.

Did you catch all of that?!?! This isn't a program that's just for those in desperate need. This is for EVERYONE. If you think this might be something that would help you, go to the Treasure Box site and search for a pick-up site near you. I was nervous, but I should have done this sooner. I am allergic to fish, but M will enjoy that. And while I wouldn't normally buy frozen french fries, I think my kids will be blessed by the treat.

By the way, I'm experimenting with Swagbucks. I added a search widget at the bottom of my page. I think I get credit when I use that search box. I might get credit if you use that search box. And I know that I get credit if you use that link to sign up for your own Swagbucks account. I've heard that some people earn enough to buy all their Christmas gifts here. It's not like I can buy yarn, and I don't even have enough bucks to buy a PinkPearl eraser now, but I think it's worth a shot.

Knit Stop-Motion

You HAVE to see this commercial!

It's a busy week here. I had to visit the lab yesterday for a blood draw. Today is my last physical therapy appointment. Thursday I visit the orthopedist to have him look at my back. I've been not talking a lot about it because I'm trying to pretend it isn't happening. I've been in pain since Thanksgiving. I take advil with each meal. At first I didn't go to the Dr. because everyone that was going had H1N1 or some other germ/cold/flu. I didn't want to get sick in the waiting room. I held out until January (the holidays were over) and then I went to the Dr. Trying to handle things with non invasive treatments she sent me to physical therapy. I've been working on core strength. That is something I needed, but now it's obvious my pain is more than just a weak core. If you think of it, could you pray that the Ortho DR really sees what's wrong? And that the blood tests show what they need to. At this point, the DRs are thinking RA or Fibromyalgia or something else in the auto-immune spectrum. I really don't want to be needing a DR with all the HealthCare DRAMA!

20 questions

I saw this tonight on Jessie & Chan's blogs. I laughed. These were fun questions. And not the kind where you feel you're answering information that could be used for identity theft.

1. Explain what ended your last relationship?

I’ve only had one real relationship. In April we will celebrate 15 years since our first date. We’ve been married 10 ½! I hope it never ends.

2. When was the last time you shaved?

This morning. It was going to be 85 and needed to wear Capri pants.

3. What were you doing this morning at 8 a.m.



Sleeping in because I was up from 4-6am after the earthquake. It wasn't a strong quake, I just couldn't fall back asleep. I kept waiting for the big one.

4. What were you doing 15 minutes ago?

Cleaning up from a great dinner. I'll post about this tomorrow...or Thursday.

5. Some things you are excited about?

Except the fact that I’ve slept in every morning so far and the kids are having a hard time going to bed at night…I’m really enjoying the time change. I’m excited for it to be light later every day. I’m looking forward to dinners in the backyard.

6. What is your favorite flavor of JELL-O?

It’s a tie…Peach or Lime

7. Your prom night, what do you remember about it?

I didn’t go.

8. Do you have any famous ancestors?

None that I know of…

9. Last thing received in the mail?

A Starbuck’s card from my mom. And yes, I see her every week, but she still mailed me an encouraging card.

10. How many different beverages have you had today?



Coffee, tea, water, lemonade (from our lemon tree)

11. Do you ever leave messages on people’s answering machine?

Yes…but they’re not as funny as the messages other people leave on mine. My friend J. leaves messages for my cat. It's a joke she has with my kids.

12. Do you draw your name in the sand when you go to the beach?

Yes. And I collect shells.

13. Any plans for Friday night?

No…

14. Do you like what the ocean does to your hair?

As long as I can wash it before I go to bed.

15. Have you ever received one of those big tins of 3 different popcorns?

Yes, but not since I was a kid.

16. Do you re-use towels after you shower?

 Yes. I couldn’t possibly wash enough loads of laundry to do 35 towels a week

17. Describe your keychain(s)?

A purple whistle for emergencies and some Brighton hearts.

18. Where do you keep your change?



In a Beer Stein with M’s name engraved on it. It was a groomsman gift.

19. When was the last time you spoke in front of a large group of people?

It's been a long time. Probably something with the youth group 5 years ago. There were 500 people in the youth group.

20. What kind of winter coat do you own?

Black Pea Coat

How did that happen?

How did 2 weeks go by without a post? Here's the bullet points. Posts should follow...but seeing as I "forgot" to blog...let's just hope these 2 weeks are better.

We had RAIN for a week! More rain than we've seen in years. Our house survived, but we have friends with "indoor swimming pools" and mud that invaded 2 bathrooms and a spare bedroom.

The rain kept us from working on the boys rockets. We only have space to use power tools outdoors, since the garage is our homeschool/play room. I didn't want sawdust everywhere.

I knit 2 doll cardigans.

We went to 3 birthday parties.

I got back x-rays. The results came back clear. Now, I have to schedule physical therapy.

We visited our local Fire Department with our homeschool group.

I got to hang out a button store with a bloggy friend and her knitting buddy.

Prizes

This post is so overdue. Much like my library books. It's a good thing they don't charge a fine for overdue children's books at my library. I'm not checking out adult books until my life is in better order...that may be never.

Nearly forever ago, I entered a contest on Chan's blog and won the purple grand prize. October was quite a month for us. I finally quit my night job at the craft store to focus on being a wife/mom/homeschooler. M & I celebrated our 10th anniversary. He was laid off just 1 week shy of his 1 year with the company and just days after my last day. We remembered the 2nd anniversary of my dad's passing. In some ways, I feel like I've been holding my breath since October. Let's forget about the not breathing...and focus on one of the gifts I've been given. They have encouraged me more than you can know. Thank you Chan, Jessi, Piddleloop girls, Nicole and Anita. The fact that this prize is a gathering of the knitting community is not lost on me.

Clockwise from the yarn. 2 skeins of Get Ewe Done Sport Merino in “Haddon Wood’s Princess of Joy”. Bag from Piddleloop -my first. A tin with 2 stitch markers (included with the yarn). Stitch Markers from Lapdog Creations. And a tape measure from Anita. I'm so enjoying this prize. Here's a close up of the yarn.

And here's the WIP. I've already started the lace portion of this shawl. This is the larger Ishbel. The color here is pretty accurate.

I've had to let this project rest, so I haven't worked on it since we got home from Napa. I'm busy knitting hats in hope that my kids will see snow for the FIRST TIME EVER!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

I'm so thankful this year. I know when times are tough it's easy to look at what we don't have. I am surrounded by family. I'm making memories with my kids. I've got so many wonderful friends. I am blessed. If you're reading this...than know that you're one of the friends I'm thankful for!!! Happy Thanksgiving.

My other job...

...and why it's so hard to quit even though I don't get paid what I'm worth.

• I happened upon some clearance yarn. I now have 27 skeins of winter white paton's wool for dyeing. I didn't pay more than $25 for all of it!
  
• I also have 3 skeins of an olive green cotton-ease that I bought for $2.25 total!
• I got some paint, the equivalent of 2 sets of these, for around $12.
• I found some wall clings for my daughters room for less than $10. The retail price of what I bought without any discount or sale would have been $75.
• And I've also bought crayola markers @ 75 cents a box, camero models @ 75 cents each (retail $16), and assorted kid birthday gifts.

And then this weekend, while doing laundry, my washer decided to not drain. On Saturday my mom watched the kiddos while M&I went to the mall. We walked through Sears and talked to a very knowledgeable salesman about their washer & dryers. We enjoyed a lunch without the kids where we continued to talk about he W&D options. We picked up some towels on sale at Macy's and then some shoes for me at Nordstrom (not on sale...never go on sale), still talking about the W&D. We went back to Sears and bought the new set. At home, my mom had finished my laundry while watching the kids. The washer worked fine for her the whole time. Now today, I've got a load of rags from washing M's car and cleaning up the house over the weekend in the washer. It's been there since yesterday! The washer will agitate just fine...then it gets stuck and won't progress through the cycle. The new one isn't going to be delivered until June 5th. I wonder if we all have enough clothes to make it until then?

We've been saving my check since we didn't need if for food. It was supposed to be helping us build back into our savings account what unemployment took (everything). This kind of purchase came from that account. Now let's just hope no more appliances die before we're ready to replace them. I guess I won't quit for awhile.

An award and a contest

And just so that ambulance post doesn't stay at the top. 6 is doing well today. I'm letting the kids watch some PBS so 6 will lay still. I don't want anything happening to that wound before it gets a chance to heal. It does hurt some, but he's more bothered by the fact that it itches. He's thrilled with all the get well wishes he's received.

And now for the award...


Grace gave me this award and I'm thrilled to pass it on.

RULES you must resend this to 5 bloggers and you must tell 5 things about your crafts you like the most...what inspires you to make home made gifts..

1. Things I create are one-of-a-kind. I LOVE it when something can't be bought.
   
2. I put love and prayers into each gift. It just doesn't feel the same when I buy something.
   
3. I love passing on the gift of creating. I see this especially when I'm giving to little people, they see how easy it is to make something...and want to create their own masterpieces.
   
4. Making things WITH my kids is so FUN! I love when it's a family project.
   
5. I feel like when I create something, I'm doing what I was made to do.
   

My 5 bloggers:

1. Jessie
2. Krissy
3. Dorothy
4. Allison
5. Amanda

And the contest. Ali at Skeins Her Way is having a contest. If you haven't seen Ali's work before, she does fabulous stuff for Blue Sky Alpacas. Her contest for 3 skeins of the new 'Sweater' yarn from Spud & Chloe closes Memorial Day. Make sure you let her know you heard about the contest here.

Acorns and Oak Trees

Chan awarded me with the Renee Award, and truly....I am both awed and humbled by this award. I especially like the song she linked. Today, many might not know this about me, but I LOVE country music and I used to go dancing every week at the country bars. Oh...those were the days. But, to think that I'm strong enough when I feel like I'm just surviving...well, that's encouragement to keep going. It's humbling to know that any strength others see is not all my own.

Here is what Bella says of this award:
"This is a brand new award and I have the pleasure and honor of spreading the seed, watching it grow. I hope it finds it's way to those who are like Renee: the acorn, a small package becoming a tall and sturdy oak, giving more acorns, becoming tall and sturdy oaks, giving acorns..."

I took this photo last August at the Dog Park near my Grandparents house. A really fitting time for this post. We were right in the middle of a storm. The winds of life blew hard and it was good that my roots ran deep. Go read this poem. (I was searching the internet for something about the strength of an oak and found this. It says so clearly what I want to share.) Last summer, when M lost his job, I wasn't sure how we could survive. I learned that I was a lot stronger than I thought. I owe it all to my Foundation. Where my roots are grounded.

California Oaks are one of the most beautiful things to me. I love their silhouette against the sky. To me...this is a glimpse of heaven. And now...I'll focus on them as the symbol of strength.

So, to pass this on...that's been the hardest part of typing this post.

Karen & Sue. These 2 are women I'd love to grow up to become. I admire their desire to pass on what they've learned.

Allison & Nancy. Both women had gone through a serious injury and shared with me hope when I couldn't walk. My knee has come a long way...but I'm still not the same.

Gail & Tammy. Evidence to me that you can survive homeschooling and still find time for knitting. Most of my homeschooling friends are still on their first kid. It's a huge difference to be homeschooling more than one.

Really...this could go to everyone in my bloglines. I read because you inspire me. To Love God More. To Love Others More. To Keep On When The Going Gets Rough. To Knit To Keep My Sanity. Thanks for sharing your lives.

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?