Wish I had photos...but at least I'm blogging.

It's Monday...and I'm trying to blog at least every Monday. But come to think of it now, I'm not sure if I wrote last week, or if that was 2 weeks ago. Even when I can't create a new post, I do read other blogs...instead of a newspaper...with my morning coffee. I read something interesting last week...why blog if no one is reading/leaving comments. I don't really write this to others...it's more a collection place for my thoughts...and if someone finds me and stops to say "HI!" I"m pleased to make a new friend, but I'll write weather else anyone is reading or not. I'm just happy to have a little corner in my life that doesn't have to be about my kids...oh, but wait...I do talk about them a lot. I don't know why I'm here...but I know that blogging is important to me...and my sanity. I hope that the processing of my thoughts helps me to realize how blessed I am to have fun children, time for a hobby...and time to talk about both.

Schoolwise:
My copy of Five in a Row came this weekend. Reading this makes me more excited about the coming school year.

Knitwise:
I lost my Spiral Rib Bag...I think the kids were using it as a sleeping bag for a doll. I'll have to find it so I can take pictures.

I finished the knitting of the Banana Hobo Bag, but I'm not sure when I'll felt it. The bags store easier when they're floppy, and I don't like having wet wool around for days. Maybe when the weather warms up again, or maybe if I need a gift. Or maybe if I have more things to felt with it...

I found some little trinkets to knit. Felted Fortune Cookies! How cute is that! I knit one with the Cascade 220 in camel that I had to buy to finish the Hobo Bag...perfect cookie color. I knit this up during just one American Idol. Now, to find time to felt...hmmm didn't I just have that problem. Check out Indigo Muse ...I was there again to get that link (in case someone is reading), and saw she's got a pattern for sale...and the proceeds go to Heifer. And I just had to laugh...I call my little 1 'chichi'!

Since knitting is my obsession, I'm always curious about projects that drive others to KNIT. UNTIL. FINISHED! So, when Cara sat on the couch for a whole weekend, I knew I had to check it out. But the thing is, stripes didn't do it for me. I'd printed out the Partial Garter Miter months ago...and finally decided to knit a few...ok, well maybe I'll knit a bunch. It is addicting. I like how Kay says "Yes, it's very special to me. I can't say why." I get that. For some reason the Partial Garter gets to me like plain stockinette couldn't...even if it was an opportunity to play with color. But, that's what I love about knitting. It's just a medium of expression. And each piece has it's own voice.

Time to go kiss little ones good night...km

I'm making progress...

Blogwise: Photos I took actually made it from my camera to the computer in the same week. Given the time it takes to download and save the images...not to mention trying to even take a good photo, I'm amazed at so many bloggers who can say...look at the view from my backyard TODAY. That's a 3 day process for me. So, I think there either be few photos from me...or, I need to learn some shortcuts.

Knitwise: I'm making progress on the hobo bag.

I like the yarn I'm using, I'm happy with the coloring and the texture. Although I've not felted with it before, so I'm not as confident with the end restul as if this had been cascade 220. I didn't knit the stripe, and I'm not using the contrast at the bag opening like in the pattern. I did have to go out last night and pick up a skein of cascade 220 in camel. I'm holding this doubled with the landscapes to give rigidity in the last 4 rows. I bound off on one side, and I really like this purse. Hopefully tonight I'll finish the handles...they knit up each side and join in the middle with kitchner stitch. That's a first for me, and I figure this is a good way to learn that. Felting will hide whatever I do wrong.

Kidwise: I need to learn to focus on the good and ignore the bad. Yesterday I caught the boys in action twice. First, 4 had placed all the kid food in the sink of the kid kitchen, then popped up from inside the cabinet causing pieces of eggplant, kiwi, and gingerbread man to fly. He's so proud of himself. Just minutes later, as I continued with the laundry (just out of sight, but not earshot) while 4 & 5 cleaned up I heard them singing to the CD that was playing..."Holy is the Lord God Almighty"! Yes, I wiped a few tears. It's easy as a mom to be distracted by the confetti of kid toys that you step on as you carry laundry to little one's rooms. It's harder to stay focused on their growth. God, help me today to focus on what has TRUE importance. Who cares if we have clean laundry...but YOU care that my little ones learn to love YOU.

Do I really need a title???

Blogwise:
I've been trying to figure out how to find order for my life. So, I've been reviewing my calender. I want to make my best effort to blog every Monday...at a minimum. If I can keep up with this, then I want to join the Unsocialized Homeschooler's Knitter's web ring. I do love to see how other moms with their kiddos home all day squeeze in knitting time.

Kidwise:
During the last week, I caught 1

• eating out of the cream cheese tub.
• eating out of the peanut butter jar
• eating out of the jelly bean jar
• and painting her face in lipgloss

Lest you think I'm ignoring my kids, I have to explain. The cream cheese was on the counter. I had just finished prepping english muffins for the boys and was walking to the table. She ran to the other room and grabbed a stool, carried it to the kitchen and shoved her fist in the cream cheese before I could turn around. The peanut butter...similar story...different day. The jelly beans...they're in a mason jar with a screwed on lid...1 gets one bean when she pees in the kid toilet. I just finished 1's pig-tails, and was squirting moose on 4's hair when I heard the jingling of jelly beans. I ran to the kitchen, and 1 had again found a stool, and gotten the jar off the counter, sat on the rug inside the entry, and helped herself to a fist full of jelly beans. And the lipgloss, it was in a zippered pouch, inside my purse, in my bedroom...on my bed. Sheesh! She's QUICK! She's the reason I don't have much time to blog. And the blog...something I need for my sanity.

Healthwise:

• No further news on 4's hip. Although he still complains some...we're just trying to figure out what steps to take next.
• 5, 4, & 1 all have coughs! 5 gave us a scare on Thursday night with a croup cough. We pulled through with the humidifier and didn't need the tent in the ER this time.

And Knitwise: (this is the most important right)

M is amazing. He took the boys to buy mama yarn. The brought me 2 colors of Clip, Plymouth Yarn's Heaven, 2 balls of Maggi's Linen, and 2 balls of Trendsetter's Legacy. Fun stuff!

I've knit up a spiral rib bag from Leigh Radford's One Skein book in some green stash yarn. It's Gedifra Aragona-green bought on sale at the LYS. I've knit a scarf in Paton's Pooch Teal Leaves...$4. I do love a good yarn, but my budget doesn't always allow that...how can you go wrong with a $4 scarf. And, I may be knitting for a boutique in the fall. I've cast-on for another purse, in Lion Brand Landscapes Spring Dessert that I got for $2 a ball! Pursenalities again, the banana hobo bag. So this purse will only cost $10 or $12 for the MC. I'm not sure if I want the stripe or not...we'll see when I get there, and I'll need the thin velour trim and a button. I also started a scarf with leftover mohair from the Karabella shawl and some Lion Brand Incredible in Copper Penny. It's similar to the Bella Knitting seventh heaven scarf, but I'm just doing my own thing...because it's leftover yarn...and $2 ribbon yarn. I'd love to buy the kit, but I think I'll save my $$$ for the Cropped Cardigan: Bolero in Soft Waikki painted Iris. That's on my wish list...if anyone is looking. I need the 36"...that's $90.10! See why I stick with the $2 sale yarn from Michael's.

Well, gotta go knit before nap time is over. km

A Birthday!

Today 3 turns 4! I can't even believe how fast these 4 years have gone by. He's turning into a wild little man...one who likes extreme sports. As a mama, I'm sure I'll have to close my eyes and pray often. His hip x-rays showed no fracture or abnormality. So, he must have hurt something while jumping from (insert high place here). Seriously, he's always jumping. Last Christmas, while at the park with M, 3 jumped from a retaining wall. He was fine the first several jumps, but then must have twisted his ankle and needed to be carried home. M later realized that in relation to his height, that retaining wall would have been like M jumping from 15'! So, we were able to celebrate yesterday without any injury. We had an orange kitty birthday. A whole party devoted to the puffy orange stuffy 3 sleeps with. Our menu was orange (carrot sticks, Cheetos, cheddar sun chips, orange jello, hoagies for the adults, and at 3's request...mac-n-cheese for the kiddos). Some games...and lots of presents. But most importantly...everyone had fun. And this morning...M picked up donuts and brought them back to the house before he left for work (Thank you) and the kiddos had donuts with candles (a birthday tradition from my childhood). Happy Birthday 4!

Wish I had more time....

I've been meaning to get to this here blog...and almost a whole month has gone by. I really might have thoughtful things to say, but those thoughts get lost between endless loads of laundry, hungry kids, barf on the carpet, and oh yeah...my knitting. I do reserve the time after all little ones are asleep to knit. Sure there's housework, but that will still be there in the morning...and my sanity wouldn't if I didn't knit. Now if I can just find time to blog...maybe I'll have to start getting up early...YIKES did I really say that?! If I can blog regularly, then I want to join this.

Knitwise...

• I've finished the Daisy Cardigan...I just need to tweak some unevenness in my knitting. One front looks longer than the other. I undid my bind off since that had gotten tighter towards the end, and that helped some. But, looking at the way 1 wears a sweater, I doubt it's worth spending too much more time on this fix. I will throw it in the washer on my hand wash cycle soon...and if that doesn't fix it than we'll just deal.
• I've finished the Karabella shawl.
• I've finished the knitting on the sunset bag. I can't decide if I want pockets outside or not. I do know that I will line the bag. I want to use leather straps instead of I-cord handles. So, I'll have to put this project aside until I have alone time to visit LYS for the leather straps I saw.
• I cast-on for the little ballet slippers on Knitty Winter 06. (Maybe I'll edit this for links later)

Healthwise...

I took 3 in for x-rays of his hip yesterday...I'm anxiously awaiting a call from the Dr. He's given up walking (asks to be carried from room to room) because it hurts. From another child this could be seen as "milking it", but 3's first word was "HAWK" for Tony Hawk. Sometimes when I see him fall I wonder if he even feels pain. Guess now we know the limit.

Schoolwise...

We've committed to JCS for our ISP. We're looking at Five In A Row. We took two field trips in February. The first was with JCS to see If You Give a Mouse a Cookie...at the Cerritos Performing Arts center on Valentine's Day (I LOVE YOU LITTLE ONES). The boys LOVED being in a real theater. And then on the 21st, M took the morning off and we went as a family to the Duck's First Flight Field Trip. I should say that at the mention of HOCKEY, it took M 3 minutes to reply to my email and say he'd take the time off. I am so excited to share these memory making adventures with my little ones instead of sending them off to school. I'm not going to get into all our reasons to HS, but oh how I love being a Homebody...with 5, 3, & 1!