Four Dollars of Happiness

It's gray here. It rained a little this morning on my way to the Dr. I love fall. But, I need to bring color inside to keep me happy. I'm glad I know this about myself. Life is better when I don't feel gray like the sky. I stopped at Michaels to pick up some things for my FFBE pal's box, and I saw these for only $1 a stem. I already had the vase and marbles at home. I'll enjoy these as I decorate for fall.
Healthwise: The kids are still recouperating from this weeks's illness. 2 saw the Dr. on Wednesday, then went into Urgent Care that night for a breathing treatment. We dealt with this repeatedly for 5, but he's grown out of it some. She's still raspy when breathing. And it feels odd giving an inhaler to a 2 year old. I got results from my MRI. The good news is that I won't need surgery. Instead I was sent down to the lab for a blood test. Now they're trying to rule out RA. I feel like I've been in that building enough this week to get a job there. Right now, I'm super thankful that I live in Southern California and not some place chilly like Canada. Really, with the knee brace, it's throwing off my wardrobe. I don't have jeans that fit over the brace and it sticks to things like sweats. So I'm wearing lots of skirts. I get compliments everywhere I go...hmm what does that say about my usual style. Now, I have to decide if I should knit some leg warmers to wear with the skirts?! =0)

FFBE Weekly Topic (1)

As of this weekend, the season has officially changed on the calendar - but what makes Autumn feel like Autumn to you, and why?

Usually for me, it's FOOTBALL! But, no...I'm not a part of the Football-a-long this year. In high school, I went to EVERY football game. Even when I didn't "have to". And by "have to" I mean that I was always involved, so the cheerleaders have to be at all the games. Except, freshman cheerleaders weren't required to be at some away varsity games because of the travel involved. I still went. My freshman year our team won CIF. That game was SO COLD. It was played at a college stadium in Bakersfield. It was so foggy, that we couldn't see the stands on the other side of the field. My friend and I had each brought a sleeping bag to sit in...and small pocket heaters that backpackers use. I've never been so cold....or had so much fun. There was another COLD game during playoffs in my senior year. We were up in Kern County. The guys needed oxygen along with the water during timeouts. And for one game, we loaded into my friend's RV during half-time. No amount of jumping around could warm us up. What is it with December games...I mean...we live in Southern California.

Even after going away to college, I'd try to make it home weekends for games. My brother was on the team after I went to college. He was a lineman. And while I love football...I hope my kids choose something with less injuries.

I've been taking my kids to the J.V. games at my alma mater. They are usually in the afternoon...and they're free...so it's a fun time for the kids to run around. 2 loves to watch the cheerleaders. And the boys favorite part of last season was when the quarterback broke his arm and the local fire chief had to check him out. (It's great for the fire chief...he had a son on the team...but he could be at all the games because this was 'work')

Now if I could just find some sock yarn in our school's colors.

What is it that they say about pride???

That it always comes before a fall.

So last night, after I'd finished the waist shaping on the V-neck, I was feeling proud of myself. My knitting speed has definitely picked up over the last year...and I dreamed of wearing the sweater SOON. I decided that with the help of M, I would try it on. I didn't want to place all the stitches on waste yarn, so I put just enough and had M hold the tips of the needles while I slipped this over my head. Here's my fall...TOO BIG! Well, not insanely to big. I could wear this as a loose sweater, but the model photo shows the sweater more fitted. And I was hoping that this would be smallish on me, so when I loose 10 pounds, I could still wear it. My gauge is spot on. And I'm knitting the 36, which is the small. I knew that no way would I be a x-small. That might be my before pregnancy #3 self, but I can't seem to loose weight this time. So, how is this small too big? I can pinch 2 inches of fabric under each arm. What comes to my head...Knitting Daily...and Bertha...and negative ease! Are you KNITTING DAILY? Do you remember those posts? I decided that there was no way, at this point, that I would rip back and start from scratch. That doesn't mean that it might not come to that, but for now I'll try a more modest fix. I ripped back to just after the first set of paired decreases. I'm going to SSK, K1, K2tog, under each arm every 6 rows instead of the suggested 10. The shoulders seemed to fit ok...but I haven't knit the sleeves yet. I'll just have to wait and see what happens. I guess I can just be glad that it only took a few days to knit 10 inches. If it doesn't work...then I'll try an x-small. Who knew??? I wish that the knitting pure and simple pattern had more schematics. Is it just because I think like an architect, that I'd like to see the plan, with dimensions drawn for the sweater?

I hope this sounds coherent. It was a long night. 4 & 5 seem to be doing much better. 2 was up several times in the night. We're struggling to keep her fever below 102 (that's with Tylenol). And the humidifier is on but her croupy cough is scary. I've been up with her since 5:30...she didn't want to go back to sleep. In between getting her some juice, and more crayons...I'm typing. The sun is up now, so the scary part of the cough is past, but we may be heading to the Dr. today.

V-neck Update ***edited

Here's my Knitting Pure & Simple 3/4 sleeve. I'm excited about how basic this sweater is. I can see myself knitting another after I catch up with some of the projects in my stash. I'm having a hard time not casting on for 72 other things right now.

I finally made to the point where I'm working this in the round. I'll make much faster progress now that I'm not counting for the increases and neck shaping. Decreases every 10 rows are easier to remember. The weather has cooled off quickly this fall. Maybe I'll have a chance to wear this before December. If I can knit regularly this week I could finish the body before the weekend. Then on to the sleeves. And after that, I've got to get back to my Morestripes. I left that behind when I got to shaping. I want to wear it though....so I guess I must think and knit.

And today...we should be at MOPS. But, 3 kids with fevers. I guess it's a good thing that we finished those Minkies. They're off watching PBS and I'm checking blogs. Probably not much 'school' either today. I'm sure we'll do lots of reading and hot tea.

***I got this yarn and pattern in May. It's 80% acrylic and 20% wool. I sure hope that the neck doesn't roll in like it does in the photo...or I'll have to beat it into submission.

Minky

I've been sewing. Actually my mom's been sewing. I cut and pinned the pieces, but the 'gas pedal' for my sewing machine is something else you need your right leg for. 5 saw this green minky at my LYS (it's actually a quilt shop with a yarn corner). He'd been eyeing it since May. We finished his blanket last weekend.

And in our house you can't just make one of anything. So this weekend we took a family trip to Tall Mouse. 2 & 4 picked out their flannel and I chose the Minky to match. These blankets cost way more to make than to just buy...but the love is priceless!
You can tell that 4 isn't feeling well. He's had a cough all weekend. I'm just hoping that this time the cold doesn't have to travel through all 5 of us. His flannel was special, because of the orange kitties. With the extra fabric, we'll be making small blankets for their lovies.