Pale Moon Raising

I was driving to my parents' house today and this is what I saw.....

If the kids weren't with me I would have stopped and watched it slowly rise, slowly shrink, slowly brighten. Beautiful and HUGE! The picture does it NO justice.

Knitting Marathon....

I'm speed knitting many different projects. I'll post tomorrow. Super excited about a possible new venture.

Here's Hoping!!!!!

Bad Parenting?

Given my short cooking marathon last night, I have decided to take the day off (mostly) from cooking. The kids have eaten eggs and toast for breakfast, peanut butter and jelly with peaches and cheese slices for lunch, and for supper I decided on polish sausage and tator tots (the little bit left over from John's dish) with carrot sticks. I asked Hayden if that sounded yummy for supper. His response, "Can we please have hotdogs?" I told him we were having polish sausage which was like hotdogs only a little bit bigger and yummier. "Please mom?....hotdogs?" Knowing we did have a couple small packages of John Morrell hotdogs in the freezer - I have NO idea where they came from as I refuse to spend money on mystery meat - I caved and made a package of each (homemade polish links and John Morrell mystery meat). Mind you, this WAS against my better judgement. But I thought, "Why not? He asked so nicely and what is ONE little hotdog going to do?"

As I'm getting supper ready, I glanced at the ingredients list on the package hoping that I'd find some trace of real food. No chance. The first ingredient listed: mechanically separated pork, chicken, and various meats. Hmmm. I almost gagged just then. But Hayden was so excited and was actually helping me prepare the meal. I couldn't back out.

They both inhaled their hotdogs, barely touched their tator tots, and tried to swallow a bite of carrots. I received requests for more hotdogs but decided to distract them with "special snacks". They finished their meal with a chocolate chip cookie.

20 minutes later Hayden walks into the kitchen with his hand on his tummy, "Mom...my tummy hurts. I have to go potty." Poor kid. A few trips to the potty over then following 2 hours relieved his tummy ache.

Am I a bad parent? Or is John Morrell mystery meats to blame? Hmmm.......

Never again. I pride myself on the fact that MOST of what our children eat is whole foods, homemade, and homegrown. Their little tummies don't stand a chance against the crap the  overly processed mystery foods contain.

Never again.

Project Knit 5:52

I am preparing to show some of my projects. Maybe for sale. Maybe for nothing. All I know is I am trying to kick it up a notch in number and quality. This week I'm focusing on hats. For the most part these are new patterns that I've pulled from books, magazines, or online.

yarn of choice is Berroco Comfort worsted weight for the top two. And Lambs Pride worsted for the cabled one. I LOVE LAMBS PRIDE!!!!!

How I Love Thee, Let Me Count The Ways....

Due to the current weather condition that the entire midwest is burdened with, my husband is required to spend the entire weekend (possibly through Tuesday) at work. His bags are packed and ready to go. His request?: food. Lots and lots of homemade food. He told me he didn't think he would survive and entire weekend at work 24 hours a day AND be forced to eat their "crappy" microwave food. Hmmm......

So, with puppy dog eyes he puts in his request and this is what he got:

tator tot hotdish - an entire crockpot full (I hope he shares)

cheesy potatoes - an entire batch....oh so yummy (I hope he shares....though I'm not entirely sure I would)

cinnamon rolls - not something I am used to baking (I hope they turned out because he got the entire batch)

bean soup and cornbread

Needless to say I'm exhausted. Everything was made between 5pm and 8pm. It is now almost 10pm and I'm going to bed! Yeah. Just call me super-wife. ;-)

Project Knit 4:52

This week's project is taken straight from Interweave Knits Special Accesories issue. I am using Plymouth Yarn's Encore Chunky in a chocolate brown. Very pretty. The needle requirements are size 10, 9, 8, and 7 straight needles. Very quick knit. Very easy. Very cute!

 

I actually began this yesterday and finished it this morning. I'm going to (hopefully) be whipping up some more little projects throughout the weekend as we are currently in the middle of a nasty nasty ice storm. Nobody is leaving and nobody is coming. Stranded....with needles and plenty of yarn. Oh.....and 3 kids without my husband. I'm thinking the yarn is my sanity.

updates later.....

Inspired and Blessed

Facebook can be a decent way to transmit info. I read this from a link a friend posted. She says it well. I was moved to sweep up my children, look them in the eyes, and tell them WHY exactly I loved them.

My Child I Love You

Preserving Love (at it's best!)

My parents gave us a Food Saver for Christmas. Practical and oh so wonderful! I used it for the first time tonight. 4 - 2lb bags of burger and 4 - 2lb pork sirloin roasts later......

 

I want to go get some more meat to seal! I think my older brother needs cookies. Yes. Yes he does! I'm making cookies tomorrow to send to Colin. YAY!

I am my mother's daughter.

And damn proud of that!!!! ;-)

Sweetest Love...

My husband is the sweetest person ever!!! Back in early fall, I fell in love with a particular pattern but gave up on the idea of doing it because the cost of the yarn was most likely going to be high ($120+). I like to use (real) yarn...real fibers. So Red Heart, Lion Brand, and the like were not an option. John stole the magazine from me without me realizing it, took it to the yarn shop and asked them to order whatever I needed to finish the project. I totally wasn't expecting that!!! I'm thrilled. THRILLED! I just hope he realizes how much of a distraction this is going to be. ;-)

Clean Sweep (after)

 

Still needs some help but at least it is clean. John promised a complete overhaul of the pantry this winter....new shelves, new light, paint job, etc. Hopefully we'll get to that.

Clean Sweep

This is embarrassing. But I have to post it because I'm so proud. Funny how the simple things give such strong satisfaction......

before

 

yeah.....no excuse......

Project Knit 3:52

This week's project is a simple pattern. The basketweave scarf. I LOVE the color I chose though.....it's like a pea green. It's beautiful!

Size 7 needle and (again) Berroco Comfort 100g yarn. So soft!!!

Project Knit 2:52

I actually made some of these as a gift for Christmas and loved them! Only I had to adjust the sizing because I have pretty big hands for woman. The adjusted ones still weren't quite fitting right. So now I have another pair for a gift. Yay. I can't post the pattern because truthfully, it is so damaged. I received it as a freebee at a yarn shop for purchasing some yarn. Anyway......I loved the way they turned out! Don't you?

I used a yarn brand called Buckingham. It is a beautiful yarn to work with. 100% superwash wool. Love love love love!!!!

Project Knit 1:52

For my first week's project, I am doing up an "afghan mini". I've made a few of these for friends as baby gifts. They absolutely love them! The great thing about these is they are just the right size for car seats....easy to tow around, super soft, and the stitching is fabulous!

I'm sharing my secret. Well, it isn't that big of a secret and it is super simple. But here it is!

 

Size 13 - 24" circular and though the pattern book recommends Plymouth Encore for yarn, I have fallen in love with Berroco Comfort 100g yarn for these particular afghans.

Project Knit 52

I am learning. I have decided that next Christmas will be a completely homemade Christmas. And in preparation for that, I am beginning NOW....today. Project Knit 52 is my year long project of knitting up 1 project per week. These projects will range from personal items (things I want to make for myself), family items (things my family needs), birthday gifts, and gifts set aside for Christmas 2010 gifts. Hopefully in doing this I will not be rushing to complete projects at the last minute.

It is convenient that the new year begins on a Friday. This is a great time for me to begin projects as I have tried to make a committment to NOT do major projects, major cleaning, or major anything on the weekends. Family time. Craft time. Relaxing time. We'll see how this plays out. ;-)

Every Friday I will post my project for the week, include the pattern or title book I will be using, the yarn I've chosen, and the needle size needed. For all those knit lovers out there, maybe we can do this together. Please feel free to share your projects and opinions!

Happy Knitting 2010!!!