Donuts

Today we had the girls over and we made donuts for breakfast. We got this fun easy recipe here. It was fun making them and letting the kids pour, yes pour, cinnamon and sugar over them and then I could not believe how good they tasted! We definitely need to do this again!




After breakfast we set up the pool in the back yard and the 2 kids from next door came over. Everyone had a good time playing in the pool, then we all had lunch together. If the girls didn't pass out after they left, something must be wrong. I did. For whatever reason, Patrick is still out there riding his bike and going like the Energizer bunny!

I really want to do some spinning. I don't know where to start, though, and I need to finish (one of) the sweater(s) I started. I have so much to spin and I was thinking about things to do with my Phat Fiber samples. Urr. I need more days off so I can spin and knit.

It's been a good day.

Oh crap. I heard Tom say we were going to the drive-in tonight. I forgot all about that! Good thing I took a nap after everyone left!

knitting update

I've been working on a few things lately. A February Lady Sweater. I love it, but I'm getting a little bored with the lace pattern. I guess this is the perfect example of why I can't knit just one thing at a time. If I could, I'd have it done soon.


To take a break from the sweater, I started knitting Adeline a pair of ruffle socks with the leftover sock yarn from socks I made Izzy last year.


I'm also getting ready to make a twirly skirt for Isabel for her birthday. Since I'm using smaller yarn than what the pattern calls for and I'll be using smaller needles, I may need to knit an even larger size than I was planning. As it was, I thought it was going to be big for her. Oh well, it has a drawstring waist, so it will last her a long time!

My friend, Laura, taught me how to use my drop spindle and I've started spinning with that. Here is a picture from the first day I used it (the green stuff is what I spun). I've spun more since then and it's getting easier!


A little off topic, I went to fat fighters today -- not my usual meeting -- and one of my knitting friends was there. I'm so glad because she helped me get a little more motivated. Up till last week I missed 4 weeks. In the 4 weeks I didn't go, I gained 1.8 pounds. Last week I gained 0.2. Erg. So, we talked about a lot of things and I felt a lot better. It's been hard for me to find a good meeting time since I started my new job and have a new schedule. I think I'll go to these meetings now since my friend goes and it won't interfere with daytime sleep time. I have also signed up for a 5K in July and I want to do another on with my sister in May; I just need to find someone to work for me!

and by the way....

I don't think I ever posted anything about the Saint Patrick's Day parade last week. Time just seems to slip by. Patrick and Isabel were both in it, in separate floats. Isabel didn't last too long. She did a great job and looked so adorable. It was nice that she didn't walk the whole parade, then she got to come back and hang out with us and get some candy.

I didn't get to see Patrick when his float came by because he was on the other side of it, so I guess it's a good thing I saw him before the parade started. He's getting so freaking huge!

I don't know how it is that Nicky & I always get stuck next to the rudest or most greedy people whenever we are at parades, but that is how it happens. Oh well, we still had fun.

living and dying

Did I seriously have myself marked as a male? I just changed my profile picture and my gender said "male". Eh, whatever.

My new job is absolutely wonderful and I am so happy to be there. Everyone I work with has been so welcoming and so great. I guess that goes along with the line of work. One thing I learned in my small amount of time with Hospice is the way that you lived your life is the way you die. I wonder if the same is true with the people around you. What I mean is, if you are very work oriented or if you are very family oriented, are you going to be that way when your close family member is dying? I have seen both responses to the impending death of a family member and I have yet to come to the conclusion of whether or not it is the way that person chooses to live his or her life or if it is grief. I suppose it could be either, but who am I to know?

I was asked to work an extra shift this weekend - right in the middle of my orientation - which does seem kind of strange. I do feel very honored though because when the woman called me from work she told me that my supervisor said I was doing a great job and was very confident I could do it. They would rather have me work the shift than someone from a temp agency. I'm flattered.

I'm working on some mittens that I started in October or November. Hopefully I'll have them done this weekend so I can use them next winter. ;) So many other things had to be knit so they got put off. I still have to finish my mom's fingerless mitts that were a Christmas present. They are so detailed, that's why they are taking me so long. I get so far and I have to stop. I have some plans for Easter presents and have started on one. I have promised myself to at least finish the mittens before continuing the first Easter present. The other two I think will go rather quickly. Then a couple more. I think my list of things I'd like to knit will be never ending. I started my first pair of socks 10 months ago and have yet to finish them because I keep starting new projects. Errr. When is Easter anyway? 5 weeks. After that, a blanket for Isabel. I'm never going to stop!

good vs. evil

pet peeves:

1) when people park on the line of the parking spot so that I have to squeeze in (especially when I have no option because the parking lot is full)
2) when my husband says "don't worry about it"
3) when people litter and/or leave their trash for other people to clean up
4) when my husband says "don't worry about it"
5) when people stand in the middle of the parking lot like morons with their heads up their asses while cars are trying to get by
6) when my husband says "don't worry about it"
7) when all of this happens at the same place in a half-hour period of time

How can some people really not care about what other people are doing? Or maybe the question is: why do I care so much? Just watching this moron out the window holding a child, standing in the middle of the parking lot while a car is trying to drive through just made me want to scream. Are people that ignorant? Apparently. But it doesn't bother my husband. And that bothers me too!

Yesterday my sister and my niece came over and we walked to the 4th of July parade. It was fun, except for the trashy mom who let her 5 kids steal candy from my niece. She 4 and petite. She's very easy-going. My sister is 8 months pregnant, so I was trying to help Isabel catch candy. I shit you not, I would bend over to pick up a piece of candy, and one of these little brats would run over and swipe it when my hand was not one inch away from it. Many times! And candy would get thrown in our direction and they'd come running from the 100 foot wide area they had taken over to the little spot we were sitting in and grab up all they could. It was pissing me off, and their mom was encouraging it! By the time the parade was over, they each had a Wal-Mart (for real) bag full of candy. Izzy did get her fair share, but they were extremely rude.

We then went to the car show at the park. Izzy got a balloon animal; an orange dog. Her favorite animal in her favorite color. After that we went to the library park where they had blow up bouncy things and a big blow up slide. Our day lasted until about 2 and then we were all beat. It was a great day. I love spending time with my sister; it's great! I wish we could spend more time together, but we live 20 miles apart (I know, it's not that much) and she's 8 months pregnant and has a husband and a 4 year old daughter. They have stuff to do. I used to have people around on the weekends, but not anymore. I'm making the baby blanket for her. I'm almost to the halfway point. I'm going to have plenty of yarn left over. I think I'll make some matching booties or socks or something.

This is her Big Bad Baby Blanket from Stitch n Bitch Nation



I wanted to buy some yarn bras for my balls of yarn. I bought a couple assorted packs at Hobby Lobby. I also found this tutorial online. I ran to Wal-Mart this morning and when I was grabbing some razors I happened to see a 2-pack of these shower puffs for 97 cents. So I made one yarn bra/yarn sleeve to try it out. It's not extremely snug. It would definitely work for another ball of yarn I have that is already wrapped.


I'm going to be in my first swap. It's an afghan square swap. I've found a pattern that I think will be perfect for my first swap partner. I just need to alter it to the correct size. I'm so excited about this! Then I was on Ravelry and I saw some other afghan squares that were so cool. I found the book they were in and I ordered it from Amazon. I'll make one from it and depending on what I think of it, the rest of my sqaures might be from that pattern. Even though it's one pattern, the yarn you use can make them look quite different.

OK, I should be knitting.

socks

I'm thinking about making a pair of Jaywalkers. I have so much sock yarn that I want to use and I'd love to try that pattern. I have a few sock projects going right now that I need to finish first. I wanted my niece's socks to be done for her birthday (June 1). No such luck. I'm at the heel now.

My sister's birthday was yesterday and I wanted to make her a pair of felted slippers....not even started. Heck, I haven't started the second slipper of the pair I made my mom for mother's day.

I'm working on socks for my husband and myself. Another pair for my other sister. I need a few days away from this house stuff and time to just knit!


By the way, today is my last day of work and I start my new job on June 9. The realtor came by last night and we signed paperwork and everything is ready to get the house on the market on Monday! Yikes! The carpets are getting cleaned tomorrow, the woman is coming to stage the house Friday and they are coming to take pictures for the listing on Saturday. Monday, the sign goes up!